


Blindsided

by ReadingIsEverything



Series: Blindsided Verse [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Assistant Astra, Blind Alex, F/F, Sighted Astra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-02-14 23:38:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 24,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13018620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReadingIsEverything/pseuds/ReadingIsEverything
Summary: Alex is blind and Astra is her new assistant. Please enjoy.





	1. the Assistant

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AXEe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AXEe/gifts).



> Finally, finally, finally! My long-awaited blind Alex fic. Firstly, a disclaimer: I am basing this a little off my own life since I am blind. If you want more information, you can ask in the comments. I will let you know if the question is too weird for me to answer, but generally everything is open to be asked. I really hope you enjoy this and for all those who have stuck with me through my very gay obsession with this ship, thank you so much! Please enjoy and comment down below. Okay, here we go!

I hated my life. I absolutely hated my life, except, of course, for my sister and music. I loved those things with all of myself, but I hated everything else. Whoa, whoa, whoa, a little too depressing for having just met me, right? Yeah, sorry. I can be a little dark and negative, at least that’s what the therapist I was seeing said. She told me to try and smile more, what kind of advice is that?

Okay, okay, let me introduce myself before I taint your impression of me even more. My name is Alex Danvers and I’m blind. Well, I didn’t start out that way. I went to war and everything changed. If we get to be closer, and you’re still here with me, then maybe you’ll hear the whole story.  
I have a lot of anger and sadness and hopelessness built up inside me because of everything that’s happened to me in the past six months.  
I went to war to protect our country. I was the first female allowed in actual combat. I loved it. I was ready to stand up for what I believed in: democracy, freedom and equal rights. North Korea was trying to take all of that away from us, so I did what I knew best: I fought and I fought hard. I was a trailblazer, a pioneer, a living legend. I still am, in fact. I sometimes still, to this day, get questions from random reporters about what it was like to fight and stand up as a woman. I did a lot of good, I won’t deny that, but what they didn’t tell me was this: there are most certainly repercussions to being a hero. They never film or document the aftermath of such a major thing.  
I was locked in a fierce skirmish with a squadron of Korean infantrymen when the bomb went off right in front of my face, knocking me clear off my feet and across the field. The next thing I remember was being driven to the hospital. Turned out, the shrapnel hadn’t gotten to my brain or my vital organs, but it had pierced my corneas and some of it had gotten into my retinas, digging in and tearing the fragile tissue. For those of you that don’t know, my retinas are what make it possible for me to see. With those damaged, I woke up in the hospital completely blind and scared out of my freaking mind.

And so now, I needed an assistant. I was officially cleared by my doctors to live on my own. I had received the training I would need to live out the rest of my life blind.  
My mother, Dr. Eliza Danvers, who was famous for finding a cure for cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, drove me to my new house in National City. She tried her very best to be supportive and kind. I, however, was very much closed off to the idea. In retrospect, I regret it a little.  
“We’re here, honey,” she announced as I felt the car slide into the driveway and heard the click of the gearshift as my mother parked and opened the door. I waited as she moved around the back and opened my door on my side. God, I hated the fact that she treated me like a crippled person. I mean, yeah, technically I was, but come on, not that crippled.

We walked in and my mom guided me to the couch. Apparently she had forgotten that she, along with my mobility trainer had given me a tour of this place weeks beforehand. “Your assistant will be here in a few minutes, honey,” my mom explained as she sat down next to me. “If you have trouble with her, the agency said you could switch at any time for any reason. Now, I have to get back to work. Please try to be careful and not get hurt.”  
With that, she kissed me on the cheek and left, leaving behind the smell of White Diamond perfume, which I also hated.

The doorbell rang in short order and I got up to answer it. I used my long white cane to tap my way across the room and make sure I didn’t get hurt or trip. Now let me take a second to describe my cane. It’s not like the candy-cane shaped ones you see older people leaning on. It’s long and straight, with a loop of elastic at the top so that I can hang it. The kind I have can be folded and tucked into a small space for convenience. My whole house, my electronics, everything I own has been tricked out to fit a blind person’s needs. I’m grateful for that. I spent a few months in a living skills center, where I learned some valuable things, like being able to cook without burning the house down. I had discovered I liked cooking. Now, enough about me for now. More on me later.

I opened the door and waited for the person to speak. “Hello, is this Alexandra Danvers?”  
Whoa, whoa, whoa. My brain was screaming. This woman was vocal sex. Damn. Her voice was fine as fuck. I could just feel how tall she was, since she loomed over me a little. For some strange reason, I liked it. No, you know what? It’s not a strange reason at all. I’m super gay and this woman right here was vocal sex at approximately six feet in height and it had my lesbian brain going haywire.  
Keep it cool and professional, Danvers, I told myself as sternly as I possibly could. I had to not jump this lady, even though a huge part of me wanted to. Also, no one had warned me that this might happen. No one had mentioned she might be pretty.

“Ahem,” the woman cut in delicately, making my face feel all hot in that way that told me I was almost definitely blushing to the very tips of my ears.  
“Uh, yeah, sorry. I’m Alex, and welcome to my house, I guess.”  
The goddess standing in front of me laughed, a beautiful, rich, throaty sound that went right to my core. Whoa.  
“It’s really nice to meet you, Alex. I’m Astra and I’ll be staying with you for about a year. Also, keep in mind that I’m not a live-in maid. You will be expected to do your own work and your own thing. I’ll help when you need me, but I will not do your work for you.”

For some reason, that made me like her even more. She didn’t seem like she would be taking any crap from me, which I really liked. I usually did my own thing anyway, so this wasn’t really a lecture. It was just nice for someone to treat me like a person.  
“Thanks, Astra,” I answered, internally high-fiving myself for sounding normal, even though she was making my heart flip around in my chest. I grew up with a doctor for a mom, so I was very much aware that that was impossible. The heart was secure in the chest. It did not suddenly spontaneously start doing tap routines and pirouettes in one’s chest, yet I could not convince my heart to stop doing barrel rolls.

“I’m really glad you an I are going to work together,” Astra said, and I had to pull myself away from thinking about that voice saying other things to me that were not at all safe for work.  
“I’m gonna watch a show,” I announced, reaching out and grabbing my MacBook out of its case. I fired it up and listened diligently to VoiceOver, the screen reader that told me what was happening on my computer screen. Basically, it’s a program built into the Apple operating system that tells me what I’m looking at. I quickly typed in the name of my favorite streaming site into the browser.  
I quickly found my favorite show of all time, the greatest police procedural ever made: Brooklyn Nine-Nine , with the amazing Andy Samberg as lead character Jake Peralta. I love this show for lots of reasons. Unfortunately, I could not find season 5 in descriptive audio. Descriptive audio is a little service where as the show is playing on the screen, a backing track in the background is telling me what’s happening in the visual department. For example, when a character puts a cup down they say something like, “Jack puts the cup down and turns to face his computer again.” It’s pretty awesome. Unfortunately, though, it’s not really available for every show on television, especially obscure shows and shows that are still airing.

I felt Astra sit down next to me as I leaned back into the couch and smiled as the theme song played onscreen.  
“Jake and Rosa are talking,” Astra said from beside me. I turned my head in her direction.  
“Rosa looks a little nervous.”  
She went on like that, describing everything in the freaking episode. “The American Creeper just exploded,” she narrated as a giant boom echoed from my laptop. I laughed. “Oh my God, what the hell?”  
“Guess the captain was right, huh?” Astra said, her tone just a little smug. I found myself smiling as the episode ended. “Thank you,” I said truthfully. NO one, not even my mom or my sister, had been as descriptive as this virtual stranger I had just met literally today.

“No problem, Alexandra,” she said, her tone sounding playful now.  
“Okay, do not call me Alexandra,” I said, trying to sound forceful. “You’re not my mom.”  
“Okay, Captain Holt,” she teased back, and my face felt like it was going to split open.

“I think you and I are going to really work well together,” I said honestly. “Can you get me some sparkling cider?” I requested.  
“It’s in the kitchen, Alex. Do you know where that is?” She asked. After getting a nod from me, she handed me my cane. I knew soon I wouldn’t need it in the house. When I became more familiar with my environment, I could just walk normally.  
I carefully took down two glasses and the bottle of cider and came back into the kitchen. “Okay, I’m gonna show you a trick that might help you pour the cider without starting Niagara Falls in here,” Astra joked as she took the bottle and glasses out of my hands. Putting them on the table, she took my left hand and had me make a fist, excluding my index finger. She had me put this at the very rim of the glass. Then, she put the bottle in my right hand. “Carefully tip it up. Easy, now. That bottle isn’t trying to ejaculate and get someone pregnant.”  
Oh my God. What? I held in a smile.

Astra squeezed my hand gently, which did not help my concentration whatsoever. It sent a jolt through the entirety of my being, making me feel like I just did a million shots of espresso.  
“Okay, do not keep pouring when the liquid reaches the tip of your index finger,” Astra continued. I carefully set the bottle down, then inspected the area around the glass. Completely dry. Even with my training at the living skills center, I still had trouble with pouring neatly. How had she known?

I heard the sound of running water—or cider, in this case—as my new assistant poured her own glass. “Let’s have a toast. To our new business relationship, and to your newfound independence,” Astra said softly. AS we carefully clinked glasses, I couldn’t help but let the giant smile on my face take over. This new beginning, unlike all of the others in recent memory, seemed to be very promising. I had no idea just how promising it was.


	2. Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Astra go shopping and talk. Revelations are revealed. Please enjoy. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter. I really hope you enjoy. Comment down below with what you thought. Also, my friend Axee just posted a Kara/James work on here that features a blind Kara. Please go check it out. :) Okay, here we go! :)

It had been six months and I was really starting to feel close to astra. It was more like living with a friend, rather than a colleague. She helped with stuff when I needed it, but mostly we just hung out and got to know each other.  
“Does this milk say 2% or whole?” I asked her as we stood in the aisle of our local Walmart one day. “That’s whole milk,” she answered. I dropped it in the cart and Astra pushed it while I held the handle and tapped with my cane with my free hand.

Suddenly, my phone rang. I turned the speech on and swiped. “Kara,” the system announced and I quickly answered. It had been a few weeks since I had heard from my sister.   
“How are you, Alex?” She asked as soon as I accepted the call.  
“God, Kara, no hi?” I asked, smiling as I let Astra guide me. Blind people aren’t supposed to be on the phone or doing anything else while they are walking, unless they’re using human or sighted guide, which is where the blind person holds onto the sighted person’s arm and walks about one step behind them.

Astra expertly guided me as I pocketed my phone. “I need to get some new clothes,” I told her as we moved toward the car.  
“Okay. Where do you want to shop for that?” She asked as she guided me to the passenger seat and I got in, folding my cane and tucking it under my seat.  
“How about Ross?” I suggested. “Or Victoria’s Secret?”

Astra was quiet for a moment, and her tone was a little skeptical when she finally spoke. “Okay.”  
“What is it, Astra?” I asked curiously. She usually didn’t object to what I decided to do, but sometimes she disagreed. I liked getting her feedback.  
“It’s just the clothes at that PINK store are so expensive,” she explained.

I grinned. “Yeah, but they’re so soft,” I argued, making Astra reach out and pat my head. “I swear, you and your obsession with soft stuff.”  
“Like boobs?” I asked, making her smack me teasingly on the shoulder. “God, Alexandra, you think you can get away with anything because you’re blind and people tend to think you can’t function mentally at the right level for your age?” She joked, but we both felt the truth of that statement.  
Lots of people I’d met had thought that because I am blind I can’t think or make my own decisions or even do the simplest things. Once, when I was reading while I was waiting in line, someone asked me what I was doing. When I answered the question they were shocked. “You can read?” They asked, sounding completely blown away. Astra had proceeded to smack them in the face and guide me away.

“So you’re gay?” She asked as we sat on the couch later and she helped me sort the clothes I had bought. We had moved way past the point of being all professional and closed off with each other. We knew a lot about each other, like how Astra absolutely despised the Kardashians, or how I loved the feel of those fluffy socks.  
“Gay as they come,” I answered as I ran a long, silky-feeling scarf through my fingers. “This feels like the Invisibility Cloak from Harry Potter,” I commented as I put the item down in the pile of white things. We sorted them by color and then I sewed a little label into them that said what color they were, which is where Astra came in. She told me which pile to put them in. “That scarf is white with little pink polka dots on it,” she had said as I put it on the conveyor belt at the store.

“You’re such a dork, Lexie,” she said fondly, ruffling my hair. I usually hated it when people did that, but when it was Astra, it felt awesome for the same reason I love listening to her read The Order of The Phoenix, even though I had Braille copies of all of the Harry Potter series, along with about a million other books.

“I bought something while you weren’t looking,” Astra teased. It was a little inside joke of ours, to make jokes like that. It offended some people, but to me it was awesome. It was odd that it was, but it just was. The same thing applied for when Astra called me Lexie. I usually punched whoever called me that, but with Astra it was like a pet name or something.

I heard the rustle of a plastic shopping bag now as Astra fumbled around in it. “It’s in my hand,” she said and I reached out and felt the thing. It was a pair of fluffy socks!  
“Oh my God!” I exclaimed, reaching forward and hugging Astra tightly, or at least trying to. I overbalanced and fell on my face. Thank the Lord it was carpet.

We burst out laughing as I rolled over onto my back. “Watch where you aim next time!” Astra laughed out as she helped me sit up. “I can’t look,” I shot back.  
“Okay, we get it. You’re blind and the whole world should stop what it’s doing and feel sorry for you,” Astra said, moving the hair away from my face.

“Turn around,” she commanded suddenly. “Wait, what?” I asked.  
“Just do it,” she said, before her voice softened. “Please, just trust me, Lex,” she said, cupping my cheek with her hand.  
I did as she asked and in a minute or two, my hair was hanging down my back in a braid. “This is beautiful,” I said honestly as I reached around me and felt it. “Thanks.” There was something I couldn’t identify in her voice, something that sounded choked and breathless.   
“are you okay, Astra?” I asked, feeling concern well up inside me. “Are you having trouble breathing?” She had told me she had very mild allergies, but she didn’t sound stuffy like she usually did when they acted up.  
“No, Alex, I’m okay, I promise,” she reassured me, touching my cheek lightly.

“So, what made you want to become an assistant?” I asked as we sat on the couch watching TV. Astra inhaled. “My sister, Alura, she lost her sight when she was born. I’m her twin. She’s a lawyer now. I grew up helping her live life. When I was younger, I hated her and resented her because my parents made me give up my entire life to help her. I mean, she’s my sister. I would have helped her regardless, but they made it worse.”

I reached out and touched Astra’s hair. She sounded sad. “I’m sorry,” I said sincerely, cursing myself because it was the only thing I could think to say.  
“Don’t apologize,” she said, patting my back. “You’re really fun. I’ll be sad when our year is over.”  
“You do realize I can extend it if we both want?” I reminded her. “Oh, that’s right!” Her tone was brighter now. I felt oddly proud that I could make her happy.  
At that moment, I realized I was in love with Astra Inze, my assistant. Definitely not professional, Danvers, I chastised myself, but most of me didn’t care. She didn’t have to know, right?


	3. You Really are An Idiot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh My God, the feels! Please enjoy. :)

I spent the next month or so having an internal wrestling match with my emotions. I wanted so badly to tell Astra how I felt for her, but what if she didn’t feel the same way? What if she was straight? What if she was taken? What if, what if, what if? It all just played through my head like an annoying Vine clip.  
The other part of me just wanted to forget I even loved Astra. The year would be over soon and I would either get a new assistant or I would not need one. There were only five months left. You can do this, Alex, I coached myself as I sat with Astra and did the most ordinary of tasks: laundry. This was a big moment for me, though, because even though I had been to the living skills center, I had still needed lots of help doing my washing, so finally being able to do it on my own was amazingly fulfilling. My inner pep talk was directed at myself both for the task I was doing and for the fact that I could sit next to Astra and smell her amazing flowery, strawberry shampoo thingy and still stay sane. It was possible. I knew it was.  
“Great job, Lexie,” Astra said as I folded the shirts, which were the hardest for me. There were so many pieces to fold in and tuck under and… You know what? I just hate folding shirts with a burning passion.  
More pressing, though, was the fact that my heart did that little flip-flop thing again when Astra called me Lexie. If anyone else called me that, it usually pissed me off to no end, even if it was my family. Yet, when Astra, my assistant, did it, it made me feel warm and fuzzy like I was wrapped up in a blanket.  
“What are you thinking about?” Astra asked me as I sat there, unmoving.

I quickly snapped out of it and continued my chore, pulling wet clothes out and into the dryer, then pulling dry clothes out and folding them, a little sloppily, but still. Give me a break, little voice inside my head that sounds almost exactly like Astra. Damn it, damn it, damn it! I scolded myself harshly. Keep it together, Danvers!  
“Nothing,” I answered her question, trying to keep my voice, if not my face, completely neutral and expressionless.  
“Lex, you’re a really bad liar,” Astra said, her voice soft, or was that just my imagination? Was I overthinking this? Was I reading too much into an innocent observation?

Without my permission, without my knowledge, and without any warning, the words came falling out of my mouth like cereal spilling out of a box and onto the floor, something that had unfortunately happened to me.  
“I really, really really like you, Astra,” I blurted out, almost shouting it with the fact that I was so nervous and anxious and everything all at once. “I might even love you, I don’t know. I just know you make my heart flip, and I know that’s impossible anatomically, but it’s true. It happens. You make my heart sing and dance and perform a fucking ballet. You make me feel warm and fuzzy when you call me Lex or Lexie, and usually it pisses me the fuck off, but since you arrived at my house, astra Inze, you have been the exception to every rule or notion I’ve had about people since going blind, and even since before that. You make me feel alive. You don’t take my crap and you make me do stuff on my own, even though I’m sure that most people you’ve worked with or been around have made you act like their goddamn servant. The worst part is this: you make me want to do stuff. I find myself reluctant to make you work more than you have to. You make me find something positive about being blind with that little calendar you made for me in Braille. Me six or seven months ago would have thought it was stupid but me right now loves and appreciates it and loves and appreciates you. I’m super gay and I’m falling for you and I’m not sure you’ll catch me, and that scares me out of my mind.”

I felt a hand against my cheek, wiping under my eyes, and I realized for the first time that I was crying. “You really are an idiot, Lexie,: Astra’s voice said in my ear, and that unidentifiable thing was back, that choked, breathless undertone.   
My head went up. I had not been expecting that. Before I could get even more upset and emotional, astra put her finger against my lips to quiet me.  
“You are an idiot because I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I loved you for the simple reason that you were pretty and smart and you made my heart dance and sing like I’d just won the fucking lottery. You made my job fun. For your information, you were my first client. I was nervous as hell, but I loved you. I loved you and I love you now more than ever. I’m super gay too and you just made it worse with your idiotic, adorable self. You make me feel alive too. I will always catch you and I love you, Alexandra Danvers. Would you like to be my girlfriend?”  
With that, I leaned forward and captured Astra’s lips with my own. “What do you think?” I asked.

Kissing Astra was amazing. It was like every good thing in the entire world, plus going to heaven, times a billion. You know what, screw this! I’m not gonna try and put my feelings into words. I’m not writing a report for a military officer or something. I am kissing the love of my life and I’m gonna quit overthinking it and just enjoy it.  
“That was amazing,” I said as we parted, our foreheads still resting against each other. I was very pleased to find that Astra was breathless, just like me. It was very good for my ego to see that particular reaction.

“It was amazing,” she agreed, her smile very much apparent in her voice as she held her hand to my face.  
“Would you like to go on a date next Saturday night?” She asked as she guided me to the couch and we sat down.

“How about this Saturday?” I asked, trying to sound flirty or playful, I wasn’t even sure which. God, I was bad at this, I realized. But no, Astra was chuckling and that sound made my whole day. The fact that I could make her laugh was exhilarating as hell.  
“Easy, my young friend,” she said, trying to sound like a wise mentor or something, making me crack up immensely in the process. “I’m joking, Alex,” she assured me when I was too silent for her liking.  
I grinned. “So this Saturday it is?” I asked. “Yeah.”  
Astra was warm as hell, her voice wrapping around me like that stupid silky scarf she had cajoled me into buying.  
I tried to flirt again. “So, can I kiss you?”  
“Do you need to ask me, Alexandra?” And with that, our lips connected again. I was in heaven, I realized. I also realized that Astra Inze would be the life and the death of me. I could not be happier with that.


	4. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex meets someone very special. Also Astra blows her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all right, I'm back. Sorry, I got sick. Thats why I haven't been writing. I really hope you enjoy this. Almost three thousand words? Hells yeah! Please enjoy. Here we go!

I found myself early next Saturday morning standing in front of my closet, wondering what I was going to wear to surprise Astra. It was our first date and I was scared out of my mind. I didn’t want to look completely unattractive and make her feel weird or hate me or something, but I also didn’t want to overdress. She had said to dress comfortably, so that’s what I ended up doing. I went with a pair of black jeans and a pullover knitted sweater that I couldn’t remember the color of. I put on some Pure Seduction and opened my bedroom door, moving into the living room.

“Ready to go, Lex?” Astra’s voice sounded from behind me and to my right, making me jump a little and causing Astra to laugh.  
“Easy, Alex. I didn’t mean to scare you. Ready to go?”  
I smiled as I took her arm. “As ready as I will ever be,” I answered honestly. I loved Astra more than anything in the world, but part of me was still afraid that she would turn around and see that I wasn’t worth the trouble. I mean, come on! Whoever dated me or fell in love with me and married me would have to help me for the rest of my life. They would have to read labels and drive me places and constantly tell me what color my clothes were and if they matched and…  
“What’s on your mind, Lexie?” Astra asked, laying a hand on my shoulder as I stood there in the hall, silent and motionless as the thoughts rushed through my brain. 

I snapped myself out of my reverie and turned my face towards my partner. “No, no. I’m okay, I tried to explain, only to feel Astra’s hand on my back. She moved her hand up and down my back in reassuringly slow and soothing movements that made my heart rate drop from alarmingly high to just a little bit above normal. Also, my hands stopped sweating and my super speedy thought train slowed down to a more reasonable pace.  
“We’ve gone over this already, Alex. You are an absolutely horrible liar. Please tell me what’s wrong?”

“I won’t be able to drive.” That was the first thing that came out of my mouth because that was the thing that bugged me the most. “I won’t be able to drive and if you and I get married or if I marry someone else, I’m always, always gonna need help getting places. I’m going to be burdening people. Also, I don’t think I’m worth your attention. I’m too ugly.”

I felt Astra move forward and I smelled her shampoo as she leaned in, cupping my cheek in her cool, soft hand and press her lips to my own, causing them to stop moving.  
“Alex, let’s sit down for a moment, yeah?” She asked, and at my nod in the affirmative, she guided me to the couch and sat down beside me.  
“Yeah, you’re gonna need help a lot, but so do a ton of other people. When I trained to become an assistant to the blind, they gave us all this crap about counseling and we had to take courses and all this other stuff. I’m not going to use any of that training with you because that stuff would just go over your head. I know very well that it would. So instead, I’m gonna tell you the truth. Yes, you are going to need help. Of course you are. You are blind. But so many other people on this planet need help. It could be superficial help, like they need assistance with finding a lost thing, but it could also be something far more serious, like “Hi, I’m about to kill myself.” Alexandra, it’s okay to need help. That’s what I’m here for. Sure, I’m your partner, but I’m also your assistant. It’s my job, yeah, but it’s more than that. It’s my pleasure to help you. Also, things like Uber and Access exist, along with public buses and trains. There are devices and apps that can read off labels to you, if you really want them. But I’m more than willing to do all of this with and for you. As for you being too ugly and not being worth my attention? That’s my decision, Alexandra. I get to decide if that’s true, and I say it’s not. I love you and I really think you and I are gonna get married someday. You are it for me, Lexie.”

Astra reached up and wiped away the tears pouring down my face and pulled me close to her, holding me against her body like a fragile treasure because, I realized, that’s what I was to her. I was a treasure and I had been stupid to believe she wouldn’t care in the long run.  
“You’re it for me too, Astra,” I sniffled, not a trace of hesitation in my tone or my words. There was no hesitation because I was completely and utterly sure of what I had just said. Astra Inze was definitely it for me. She was the coveted one that everyone hoped to have in their lifetime.

“Now, if you’re feeling better, I want to show you something before we get going.” Astra’s tone was warm and understanding. I read her message loud and clear: We can wait however long you need to. It’s okay.   
“All right. Show me,” I said, excitement and anticipation running through me. Astra took my hand and. guided it up. My fingertips brushed against skin. What the hell?

“My face,” my partner explained as I sat there on the couch with my hand frozen in place. “I thought it might help to know something about what I look like.”  
Since going blind, I had developed my own form of sight. It was like I was reliving sensations. For example, I saw an apple in my head by trying to remember how it felt. It’s really hard to explain. The point is I did that with astra’s face. She had the softest skin ever, with lush, kissable lips, though I already knew that from personal experience. Her eyes were small, but her eyelashes were long. Her lips were curved in a smile and her hair was down around her shoulders. It was really long and soft.

“Whoa,” was all I could manage as I let my hand drop to my side. “Yeah.”  
I could hear the smile in Astra’s voice, along with how affected she’d been as she took my hand. “Let’s go.”

We drove in the car, talking and laughing the whole way. It was so easy to talk with Astra and just hang out with her. It felt right, as cliche as that might sound. It felt better than my own family.  
“Here we are,” Astra announced as I felt the car move into a smooth park. It was nice, since usually when my mom drove it was more of a jolt.  
“Where are we?” I asked with curiosity as Astra guided me up a long driveway. “My house.”

With those two words, my heart moved up into my throat. We were in Astra’s house? Astra’s house? What? I knew she lived somewhere, of course. I mean, where had she lived before coming to live with me for the job? She would have had to go back when the year was over. But I had never thought about just where she lived. I was not sure I was ready to find out.  
I felt Astra’s hand on my back again. She seemed to know exactly when I wasn’t okay. “It’s all right. I promise, they already like you, Lexie.” Her voice was confident and strong in my ear, bracing my frayed nerves. I decided to trust her. She obviously knew how her family viewed me.

I took a deep breath, tightened my hand lightly around Astra’s and took the step over the threshold. The interior of the house smelled like cinnamon and baking things. It was warm and cozy. Basically, it was what I imagined a house from a fairy tale about Christmas to be like. “Do not point out the cliche or I will murder you, Alexandra.” Astra’s voice was teasing and playful.

Suddenly, I heard a familiar sound. It was the tapping of a blind person’s cane. It echoed a little, like the person was coming into the entryway from a hallway. “Astra? Is that you?”   
It freaked me out how much this new person sounded like my girlfriend. It was the same pitch, the same inflection, everything. This must be Astra’s twin, I realized.

“Yeah. I brought Alex this time,” Astra answered, her tone warm. The cane stopped tapping and I heard some shuffling. Suddenly, the person was right beside me. “Where is she?” The voice asked again.  
Astra moved away from me, momentarily releasing my hand. She was back in a second, though. Now, the voice was right in front of me. “Alex, I’m Alura, Astra’s twin sister. It’s really nice to meet you. I’m holding out my hand for a shake.”  
I took the hand she had offered me. God, it even felt like Astra’s.  
“I know. I’m like a carbon copy of Astra,” Alura said as if she had guessed the main subject of my thoughts. “The only real difference between us is I have a slightly higher pitch in my voice. It’ll take a while for you to tell us apart, but you will, I promise. Also, Astra says she dyed a part of her hair white so we could be told apart by sighted people.”

“It’s true,” Astra chimed in from my right. “I thought it made me look cool.”  
“I’m sure it does,” Alura put in. I nodded in agreement. I loved Astra no matter what she looked like.

It turned out that Alura lived here with her partner Grace and their dog Ray. The place seemed warm and friendly, and the food Alura made was amazing. She had made Mac and cheese from scratch, along with freshly baked cranberry oatmeal cookies and freshly made apple juice.  
“I don’t like buying processed crap,” Alura explained when I asked her why she didn’t just buy her food pre-packaged at a grocery store. “I already don’t know enough about the world around me. This is something I can control and it’s something I can be aware of.”

I immediately decided I was going to try going fully homemade. It would be hard but it wouldn’t be impossible.  
Out of nowhere, Clean Bandit’s song “Symphony” started playing. Astra smiled. “Sounds like us,” she said slyly.  
I reached out and tried to punch her playfully on the shoulder, but I met something softer. “Ouch, Lex, that was my boob.”

I felt my face heat up a hundred degrees above normal. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” I said as I reached out to try and rub the pain away.  
Astra batted away my hands. “What, trying to cop a feel?”  
My face felt even hotter than it had already. “No! I was just trying to fix it.”  
My voice was much higher than it usually was, and Astra and Alura clearly noticed. Astra chuckled and her sister joined in a moment later. “It’s so adorable how you’re so embarrassed,” Alura said as Astra stroked my hair.  
“I’m mortified.”   
“We know,” Astra said. “It’s fine. It’s no worse than the time Lura here—“  
“NO!” Alura exclaimed, just as her girlfriend walked in.

“No what? Ooh, what did I miss?” Grace seemed to be very chipper and perky, judging by her voice. I tried not to judge off first listen though, just as sighted people tried not to make concrete conclusions right when they first met someone.  
“Nothing!” Alura rushed to cover up, but it seemed Grace was good at reading her. “Nope. No dice, Al. Tell me.”  
“That’s our cue to go. Alex and I have a date to finish,” Astra cut in as she grasped my hand again. I retrieved my cane from under the chair and turned to thank Astra’s sister.  
“Thank you for the meal, Alura,” I said truthfully. “It was really good.”

The other woman moved across the room and patted me tentatively on the back. “It was my pleasure. Just please don’t hurt my sister.”  
Her tone was imploring and not judgmental, so I knew she was just looking out for her twin. “Of course I wouldn’t hurt her,” I said sincerely. I knew for sure I would never intentionally harm Astra. I just hoped her family believed me. From the easy way Alura released my shoulder and Grace said it was nice to have met me, I guessed they did.

“Where to next, General?” I joked as I walked human guide with Astra. She had earned that nickname for the simple reason that she was extremely authoritative. She was amazing but sometimes she could be bossy.  
“We have a last destination, brave one,” she anewered. She constantly told me I was brave, but I didn’t feel it. Yet, I felt brave when Astra called me her brave one, so what did I know?

We drove for a while, singing along to the ridiculous music that was on the radio. Finally, after about an hour of driving, Astra parked and led me out of the car and onto the pavement.

“We are at a museum,” Astra announced as she took my hand. I frowned. A museum? What would a blind person do there? They don’t let you touch the art!

“Just trust me, Lexie. YOu’ll like it, I promise.”  
I had trusted Astra up until now, so I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt again. We walked to a counter where Astra bought our tickets. “Here, feel,” she said in that endearingly commanding way of hers, handing over one of the ticket stubs.  
I felt along the paper until I felt little bumps. Was that Braille? Oh my God, it was! “Museum of life,” I read out loud, then I had to hold back a laugh. “What the heck kind of museum is that?”  
Astra squeezed my hand. “An awesome one.”

“You’re awful,” I laughed as we wandered inside the atrium of the building. The place was massive, as was evident by the sound of the taps of my cane echoing off the walls. Everywhere, there was chatter in a bazillion different languages.  
“What is this place?” I asked, awed by the sheer grandeur of it all.  
“YOu’ll see,” Astra said and for some reason I could totally picture her smirking at me right now. Along with that picture, I could totally see her stroking a big fat cat, a la Austin Powers.

“Hi, welcome to the museum of life!” A new voice Called out on my left. I turned my head to face it. “I’m Clair, your guide. Are you two here on your first trip?”  
I nodded my head, and I assume Astra did too. The lady addressed Astra next. “YOu’ll be enjoying this experience with her?”  
“Yeah,” Astra affirmed. “I’m her girlfriend.”  
“Ooh, we get a lot of those here,” Claire said. They did?

“What is this?” I asked, just a little bit frustrated. I wanted answers. I hated being kept in the dark about knowledge.  
Clair’s tone became sympathetic, as if she knew what it was like to be uninformed of the world around you.  
“This is the museum of life. It presents all manner of things in a tactile, interactive experience that is designed specifically for blind individuals.”

The smile that came over my face could have covered all of National City. “Wait, what?”

Clair handed me a pamphlet in heavy Braille paper. “Go ahead and skim this. It’ll make more sense.”  
I loved how all of this was being presented as the norm. It made me feel elated. “I have a print copy of that,” Astra informed me in a low voice in my right ear as I flipped open the cover of it. We sat down on a bench that was conveniently placed by the door so we could read through our leaflets.

According to this, The Museum of Life was founded by two blind people and their wives. Chloe and Lauren Jackson, along with Audrey and Adrian Valdez had put this together as a nonprofit to give blind individuals something to enjoy. I made up my mind to donate as much as I could to them.

We saw all manner of things, from paintings to fruit art to an actual bird in flight. I don’t know how they did it, but it was all so amazing.  
“How did you know about this place?” I asked astra as she drove us through late night National City traffic. Her tone was warm and relieved when she answered. “I did some research. I remembered what you said earlier, Alex. I want to show you that life as a blind person isn’t hopeless.” And, sitting next to Astra Inze in that car, I realized it really wasn’t as bad as I had thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this. Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)


	5. Some Ominous News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shenanigans take place and we get some news from the family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is for my girlfriend, the wonderful AliceAbernathyRE on here. Please enjoy, everyone. :)

We had been dating for about four months now, give and take some time. We didn’t really keep track of the time, we cared more about how much we loved each other. We went to lots of places and we hung out constantly. Of course we lived in the same house, so that was kind of logical, but we could have just as easily ignored each other and been all cold and clinical, or even just been friends. But no, because dumb, idiotic, ridiculous me had to go and fall in love with my assistant, and wonderful, brilliant, amazing Astra had to go and fall in love with her client. We didn’t consider it unethical because we weren’t having sex yet. We had both agreed that Astra would resign as my assistant and as an assistant in general. She had decided she was going to own a bookstore and I fully supported her.  
“I don’t want to go giving my time all willy-nilly to someone else when I have a partner,”she explained in regards to her sudden career change. She loved helping the blind, and she had enough work for her, she continued teasingly. That conversation ended with me smacking her with a pillow, my shirt riding up, her seeing a few too many inches of skin and then making sweet sweet love all night long. Oh, I was totally gay.

We woke up one morning to absolute peace, which was uncommon as hell in National City. There is always noise in the city, which is one of the reasons I love living in the city. There is always some sensory stimulation, whether it’s the smell of freshly baked bread as I walk down the street, or the sound of some music drifting out of a neighbor’s window as I wait for the bus. The list is endless.  
I reached out and felt next to me, finding the sheets cool and absent of any trace or sign that Astra had been lying beside me for the past several hours.

I found her in the kitchen when I finally got my lazy ass out of bed. She was making something that, judging by the smell of it, was pancakes and hash browns. It all smelled so heavenly and divine, I had to stop myself from drooling. My smile hurt so early in the morning, since my lips were chapped and they cracked a little with the movement.

“Good morning, Alexandra,” Astra said softly as she turned to face me. “How do you do that?” I asked, my smile inevitable as I moved ford and embraced her.  
“Well, it helps to have some sight, dear,” she answered, chuckling as I reached forward to get a potholder to smack her with. I missed, of course and ended up knocking over something that went poof! On impact.

“Oh my God, Lex!” Astra exclaimed, her tone affectionately exasperated, though I could sense a little actual anger in it too. My heart clenched. I hated it when Astra was even a little vexed with me. I loved her and I hated screwing up in front of her.

I felt a cool, slightly moist hand lift my Chin. I decided to help and lifted my head the rest of the way up so that I was facing Astra fully.  
“Lexie, I’m so sorry I snapped at you,” she started. “I love you and I try to understand you, but sometimes even the most patient of people get angry. I love you, but I am only human.”  
Her tone brightened up. “Besides, it was kind of funny. Also, your expression as you stood there trying to figure out what the sound was? Priceless!”

I smiled, knowing Astra forgave me and vice versa. “It’s okay to fuck up sometimes, Alex,” she concluded as I felt something feathery being put into my hand.  
I hoped my face showed all the horror I felt. “What the hell, Astra! You want me to kill a bird?”  
She burst out laughing, that special, wonderfully hearty and throaty laugh that made my heart flip and my knees wobble. “It’s not a bird, brave one. It’s a feather duster. You have some cleaning up to do.”

As odd as it might sound, I loved Astra so very much at that moment. Lots of people would have just said “Oh no, Alex, you’re blind. I’ll clean it up for you!” Lord knows my mom had many, many times. Yet my partner didn’t do that. She made me figure things out and live my life and screw up just like everyone else. That was one of the many, many things I loved about her. I’m not gonna list all the reasons I’m in love with Astra because that list would take up a small booklet.

I was cleaning up the last of what I now realized was flour when my phone began ringing in the other room. Shit,I left it on the couch in the living room and I was in the kitchen.  
“Astra, can you please answer it for me?” I asked as I straightened up. “I still have to shake the flour off this duster.”  
“Sure, dear one,” I heard Astra’s wonderful voice answer from the other room. Then, a moment later I heard her speak to the person on the line. “Yes, this is Alex’s assistant.”  
I grinned. The year was almost over, yet Astra was still my assistant in every way that counted, plus she was my partner, which was just a bonus. “Yes, sorry, she’s busy. I’m sorry if I scared you, Mrs. Danvers. We’ve met briefly once before, remember? You called the agency to hire me?”

Mrs. Danvers? Crap, that was my mom on the line! She was talking to Astra! I quickly shook off the feather duster and put it in the cupboard where it belonged, then I made my way as quickly as I could into the living room. Astra had her professional voice on, the one she used to address her boss or someone that wasn’t me. I quickly reached up and tapped her wrist. She squeezed my hand, letting me know she was listening. “Give me the phone, please?” I requested.  
“Alex would like to speak with you, ma’am,” Astra said into the phone before handing it off to me. Apparently, my mom was furious because “an Assistant should not answer your personal phone, Alexandra!” I put up with the ten-minute lecture, before I finally found my voice. “Mom, why are you calling me? You haven’t seen me in months!”

Apparently, she had just gotten some brief respite from her job and she was coming up to see me, along with Kara, my sister. That got me excited. Kara was the only person who actually tried beyond just the minimal crap. She had learned Braille and she had learned all the techniques needed to guide me and all the technologies used in a blind person’s day-to-day life. My mom, though…  
I clutched my skull as I double-tapped the end call button and set my phone down. My partner—my loving, amazing, understanding partner—came over and handed me a glass of water and two Advil, then sat down beside me.   
“That bad, Lex?”

I groaned in response, making her chuckle and stroke my hair softly. “I get it. Our mom is like that with Ally.”  
I leaned my head against Astra’s shoulder. “Thanks for being amazing, dear one,” I said, my voice warm. Astra kissed me tenderly on the lips. “It’s my utter pleasure,” she answered, her tone sincere. With Astra there, maybe this wouldn’t turn out to be a total disaster, or at least I hope so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, General Danvers have to deal with family. Also, keep in mind that Eliza does not know Alex and Astra are more than just assistant and client. Ooooh. Comment down below with how you think it's gonna go down. Please also leave your thoughts. Hope you enjoyed this. Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)


	6. She's My Partner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited chapter where Astra meets Alex's family Please enjoy. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been gone for a while. I meant to post something for New Year, but I got too lethargic and lazy. Please enjoy this and I hope you had a happy New Year. By The way, I've written an original song on YouTube. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/GoLynSIk_fA

“Oh my God, Alex! Just flip the thingy over!” Astra exclaimed as I stood beside her and helped her make dinner. Today, Kara and my mom were coming over to see me and to see how I was fitting in and everything. I was a little nervous for the simple reason that I didn’t think my mom was going to take to the fact that my assistant had become my partner. She was pretty accepting as parents go. When I had come out to her as a lesbian, she had stood there quietly and then she had said, “Honey, I’m a scientist. I’ve seen much weirder things in my time.”  
So I wasn’t afraid of her being homophobic or unaccepting. I was afraid she would think I was making a big mistake or that she might call the cops, believing that Astra was taking advantage of me and having a relationship with me without consent. In reality, though, that was the farthest thing from the truth. I actually couldn’t consent enough to this relationship.

I was standing next to Astra as she prepped a chicken for our dinner. She apparently had this to-die-for baked chicken recipe she was going to make, while I made cheesy baked potato and peach cobbler. “What thingy!” I shouted back. I absolutely love Astra, don’t get me wrong. I have no doubts whatsoever that I will marry Astra one day and make her my partner for life, but I still was frustrated by this chicken thing and her frustration with me and I’m sure she felt the same way.

“The heart, Lexie.” Her tone was calmer now, steadier as she faced me fully. “The heart.” I reached in, cringing as I felt the grossness around my fingers. “Why do you need the heart?” I asked curiously.  
“I need to throw it away,” she explained as I heard the faucet begin to run. Presumably Astra was washing something, maybe her hands?  
“Here, Lexie, I have the rest.” Her tone was amused as she talked.

I turned my head and tried to glare the best I could at my completely insufferable partner. “Yes?” She asked in that fake assistant voice of hers that she never used with me for real anymore.   
“You’re awful!” 

Astra reached out and kissed me gently on the cheek. “Yes, and you failed, my dear.”  
It was true, though. I could feel my lips curving against my will. “Ugh!”  
Astra pretended to coo over me. “Oh, Lexie, whatsa matter. Need a juice box?”  
I proceeded to throw an oven mitt at her, which she of course managed to catch and flick right back into my face.

Ignoring my playful growl, my amazingly impossible yet completely perfect partner moved around the kitchen, her movements graceful and concise. I don’t mean aesthetically, since I couldn’t see them. I mean it in the sense that she wasn’t tripping over everything in her way and she was quick and she didn’t bump into me.  
“Do you remember if we have any of that creamy Parmesan crap?” She asked me as she bustled around.  
“Yeah. It’s in the cabinet marked Miscellaneous.”

Right when we finished making everything and setting the table, the doorbell rang. “I’ve got it, don’t worry,” Astra said as I got my hair to stay in a bun.  
I heard my mom’s lower-pitched voice and my sister’s higher cadences as they conversed in the hall, mingling with Astra’s low tones. I felt Kara’s arms around me first as she hugged me as tightly as she could, as usual. “Alex!” She almost yelled, making my eardrums vibrate uncomfortably.

I reached out and hugged her back just as fiercely. “Hey, Kara,” I greeted her, feeling the luxuriant velvety softness of her dress. It fit her well.  
“Alexandra,” my mom said with a smile in her voice from behind me as she walked up. I turned around slowly to hug her. “Hi, Mom,” I answered as she embraced me tightly in greeting.

Astra stood somewhere in the room quietly. I’m sure it was awkward for her. I felt her beside me in a moment though. “Would you like me to take your hats and coats?” She asked my family. I assume they nodded, because there was silence, followed by a bunch of rustling a moment later. “I’m glad you guys are here. I missed you both,” I admitted, walking into the kitchen with the rest of my family and my Astra.

My mom was smiling, which I could hear in her voice. “Well, I finally put my foot down and took a weekend off from work to relax and see my daughters properly. After all, aren’t I allowed to do that?”  
I chuckled, along with everyone else in the room.  
“So, how’s Cat?” I asked Kara, regarding her girlfriend of almost a year.  
“Shut up, Alex,” she said, but I could tell she was joking.

“Dearest, would you like some bread?” Astra whispered in my ear, but apparently it wasn’t quiet enough, because my mom set her glass down just a little too hard, which meant she was shocked. She didn’t bang it down or anything. It was a subtle difference, which I was unfortunately very good at distinguishing.  
“Alex, you’re very friendly with your assistant.” Her tone was disapproving already. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like when I told her what was really happening here. 

I figured I would tell her now, since it would already come out soon enough. It already almost physically hurt to not be affectionate in any way towards Astra.  
“Mom,” I started as we passed around the dessert, “Astra’s not just my assistant. She’s my partner.”

My mom was quiet for a moment, then all hell broke loose. “You’re dating your assistant!” The scream was so loud it made Kara jump too. She slammed her glass down so hard that the table vibrated. “YOu’re dating someone who works for you?”

My heart turned in my stomach. “First of all, she works with me, not for me. Second of all, she’s not my assistant anymore. I don’t need one. I’m okay and Astra helps me when I need it.”

“Leave the room for a moment, Alexandra.” Her tone was stern as hell, so even though I was a fully grown adult, I didn’t dare question her. I got up from my seat and moved into my room.  
I listened in, though. I mean, come on, What’s the point of being blind if you cannot listen in on stuff. I’m just kidding, I promise. I just wanted to listen in on what was happening.

My mom worked with people every day. As a family doctor, among other things. She had to be gentle since she worked with very small children very often. She did not sound the least bit gentle now. “What are your intentions with my daughter?”  
Her voice held an accusatory, menacing note I had never heard in it before.  
“I want to love and care for her,” Astra started, her tone confident and assured. “I want to be there for her through the good and bad. I want to make her my partner for as long as she’ll want me. I want to show her every single day of our lives that she is the center of my universe. She is everything to me. I want to marry her someday.”

At that, I had to hold myself back from either squealing or going downstairs at top speed and tackling Astra with a passionate, grateful hug and shouting “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you!” From the rooftops. Instead, I listened for my mom’s answer.  
“If you hurt my daughter in any way, shape or form, I swear on everything that exists I will have your head on a spike. You make Alex very happy. Even a blind person could see that. But please be careful. Between you and I, I couldn’t have found someone better for Alex if I had searched my entire life.”

Kara cut in then. “Firstly, welcome to the family. If I know Alex, then she wants to ask you pretty soon to marry her anyway, so that’s pretty much guaranteed. Also, hi, Aunt Astra. I didn’t know it was you until I saw you but I didn’t want to tell Alex I knew you because it would freak her out.”

My heart was pounding. Kara was adopted, and this was her aunt. Of course it was. Come on, when is my life normal. I moved downstairs, just as my mom said, “I know you’re listening, Alexandra.”  
How did she do that? I walked into the living room, where everyone had moved to, my face warm with embarrassment. “Hey,” I said weakly, trying to wave casually.

“Cut the crap, Alex,” astra and Mom said at the same time, then they laughed together. It seemed they were getting along. “Lex, I’m Kara’s aunt by her biological mom, Alura. You met her, remember?”

OH my God, I did remember! Alura was Astra’s blind twin, the one whose house we had had dinner at. She was Kara’s mom???!  
“It’s okay, I’ll explain.” Astra’s tone was calm and understanding. Apparently, Alura had had Kara when she was eighteen and she had been unable to take care of a child, which is why she had given her up for adoption. My mom had adopted her when I was two and Kara and Alura had kept in contact as we got older. Then, Alura and my mom had met and hit it off. Which is why my mom had heard about astra and the assistant agency. And now we were all here now.

I inhaled for a moment to give myself a second or two to process and then I smiled. “That’s cool.”

“What?” Everyone exclaimed. They sounded surprised. “You’re not freaked out?” Kara asked.  
I shook my head. “Nope.”

My mom patted my back. “I’m happy for you, Lexie,” she said warmly. I cringed a little inwardly. She hadn’t called me that since I was five. I smiled too though. This had turned out pretty okay after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you enjoyed this. Tell me what you thought below. Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)


	7. Happy Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex gets a birthday party from her partner. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, I am really glad you're enjoying this. Shout-out to KendrikHere for their view on my YouTube video and for their comments in general. thank you. Now, hope you enjoy this. :)

I love my partner, but sometimes she makes me so angry! She decided to spoil me today and throw me a birthday party. I was thoroughly surprised and embarrassingly excited and completely grateful. 

I rolled over and found that Astra wasn’t next to me. That usually wasn’t the case, unless of course she was making breakfast for us. Just as I’d predicted, the smell of bacon and French toast and pancakes filtered through the bedroom door, tempting me enough that I actually got out of bed without prompting. I quickly slipped on my fluffy bunny slippers and made my way downstairs.

Astra was singing as she cooked, and my ears were like little magnets to her voice when she sang. I loved her voice. It wasn’t perfect. She wasn’t by any means a professional singer or anything, but I loved how perfectly imperfect it was. It was, hands down, by far one of my favorite sounds. “Hit the road, Jack. Don’t come back no more, no more, no more, no more.”

I smiled at her song choice. “I love you,” I said out of nowhere. Yeah, Astra is the kind of person that gets random emotional declarations from me. No one else does that, not even my family.

Astra wrapped her arms around me and kissed my cheek fondly. “Good morning, Lex. Welcome back to the world of the living,” she teased, prompting me to smack her without warning. This time, she was unable to dodge the attack. She took my hand and put it close to her mouth so that I could feel the grimace on her face.

“I should be scared of you,” she joked, making me smile. I knew I would never really hurt Astra, just as well as I knew she would never hurt me. WE were both very safe with each other.  
We sat down and started eating. We talked on and on as we shoveled Astra’s amazing cooking into our mouths and, subsequently our bellies. I felt safe in this moment, in my home, at my kitchen table, enjoying a warm breakfast on a cold winter morning with my partner.

“Think fast,” Astra said, and without any more warning, she squirted whipped cream out of a canister we had been using that was sitting on the table into my mouth. I almost choked, that’s how surprised I had been. “What the hell?” I asked, my voice way squeakier than I liked.  
“Did I get to you, Miss Danvers?” She asked, her tone barely masking a laugh.   
I reached out and grabbed the bowl that was full of powdered sugar. Before Astra could react or stop me, I leaned forward across the table and poured the contents of the bowl over her head, smiling at the sound of the powdery rain.

Astra squeaked even higher than I had and stood up, the chair scraping against the floor as she pushed it back. For some ridiculous reason, I thought she was going to fight me or something, like in those absurd movies you see on oddly named channels. Instead, she brushed off the sugar that I presumed was on her head. Then, she moved over to me in a way that sounded slow and ominous.

She leaned forward over me and kissed me. I thought all was fine and well, but Astra had lured me in with a false sense of security. She rubbed herself all over me, getting sugar all over me in the process.   
“Goddamn it!” I shouted, trying not to pee myself from laughing.  
“Yes?” My beloved, exasperating partner sounded so innocent that I wanted to smack her upside the head like Rochelle from “Everybody Hates Chris.” iNstead, I helped Astra clean up the kitchen.

We moved into the living room and watched Free Held, one of our favorite movies for like the millionth time. Then we just relaxed, talking again. 

“I have to go out for a little while,” Astra announced a little later, rising from her spot next to me and shrugging on her coat. I had to hold back the urge to cling to her. Whoa, where had that come from? See, I’m telling you! She’s evil! She’s inspiring feelings in me! All joking aside, I love her more than life itself.

“Where?” I asked curiously as she slipped on her shoes. “Somewhere,” she replied cryptically as she closed the front door quietly behind her. I heard the car fire up a moment later, then the sound of the engine as she drove off. That meant this place was farther than she usually walked. Astra preferred to walk since it was better for the environment.

Kara called me a few minutes later. I was getting ready to take a shower, so I was kinda naked when I answered. No big deal.  
“Hey, Kara,” I said into the iMac as I searched for my clean towel.  
Kara made an indignant noise. “Oh my God, Alex! Why are you freaking naked?”  
I grinned, having kind of forgotten Kara could see me. “Sorry, sis. I’m getting ready to take a shower. Can I call you back?” I asked as I resisted the urge to cheer victoriously and throw my hands in the air, having located a Clean towel. Kara already thought I was weird enough.

My sister was quiet for a second, probably trying to process the sight before her. “Well, after your shower, why don’t we go somewhere together? It’s been a while since we’ve had a sister day,” she finally said, after several seconds of silence.  
“Let’s do it,” I agreed as I found my new bottle of Dove shampoo. “I miss hanging out with you.”  
Kara was quiet for a moment, then she gasped quietly. “Oh my God, I forgot you couldn’t see me!” She exclaimed, a laugh clear in her voice. “I nodded.”  
I smiled. Kara was freaking awesome. “I get it. Why don’t we go see Pitch Perfect 3?” I suggested. I had heard that it was playing in descriptive audio, and I really wanted to see it.  
“Sure. If you couldn’t see it with me, you would go see it with your partner,” she teased, making me virtually smack her upside the head.  
We agreed to meet in thirty minutes. I quickly jumped in the water and did my thing, then put on sweats and a hoodie. I was not about to wear a suit or something just to go watch a freaking movie. What was this, 1963?  
Kara’s phone chimed halfway through the movie, but I didn’t think much of it. We got home to utter freaking chaos.

My mom, my partner, Kara’s girlfriend, my friends from college and my friend from the NCPD were all gathered around in the middle of the room. I could smell cake and hear music playing.  
“”Surprise!” Everyone chorused as I walked in with Kara, who immediately abandoned me and went off to be with Cat. Thanks, sis. I felt Astra take my hand and hold it comfortingly in hers. “Happy birthday, Lexie,” she said, her tone the warm quality she only reserved for me.  
“How did you know?” Was all I could get out in my shocked state.

It turned out that astra had made a few calls before I woke up. Then she had convinced Kara to take me out on a supposed sister day. Finally, she had persuaded everyone to come here. AS everyone sang “Happy Birthday” and handed me gifts, I couldn’t help but smile. I loved Astra so much, but she could really vex me in the best ways possible sometimes. Partners, am I right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed. Keep on living and keep on smiling :)


	8. Be Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A major event takes place. Warning: major fluff. Please enjoy. :)

I was freaking the fuck out. There was a simple, completely logical reason for this. I was going to ask Astra to be my wife. We had been dating for almost two years now, and I was absolutely certain, without any doubt whatsoever in my heart that I wanted Astra to be my partner for life.

I woke up on the Friday I was going to ask her and felt her welcome warmth beside me. She was the best thing that had ever happened to me and I was more than ready to tell her that and take her as my lawfully wedded wife forever and all that sappy crap.  
I reached out and tickled her nose, feeling it scrunch up under my hand in response. She was so sensitive, as I’d learned early on in our relationship and getting to know each other.

My beautiful supermodel goddess of a partner sat up and batted at my hand. “Go way, Lexie,”she said, her voice still distorted and kinda weird from sleep, though I still loved it nonetheless. She was Astra, after all. I couldn’t stop loving her no matter what she did, even if she did hog the blankets at night in the dead of winter. That wasn’t important at all to me. This woman had been there with me through some serious shit, and I would always be faithful to her. I didn’t understand how people could be so callous and go cheat on their significant others all willy-nilly. Didn’t they realize the precious gift they had? 

Okay, okay. I’m getting off track here. Let me get back to how I changed our lives forever. I pushed at Astra’s shoulder, but I guess I shoved a little too hard because I heard a thud. Then, a moment later, Astra began swearing in—was that German?  
I smiled. God, even when she was angry at me I loved her. She was intelligent as hell. I realized she was also fast as hell and angry as hell. I had to run my very fastest to make sure she didn’t catch me. She had a bucket of ice water in her hands, if the sound of it was anything to go by. I did not want to be in contact with that much cold liquid, especially around my boobs.

We finally called off our little chase, or more like Astra finally had mercy on me. I wasn’t afraid to admit openly that I am whipped. Astra is the only person I would even consider being this vulnerable and pliable with. I trusted her with all of myself. I wouldn’t hesitate to say that I trusted this gorgeous, wonderful woman with my life. If something was happening and I was in mortal danger for any reason, I know I could trust my beloved partner to save me or be there with me until the very end.

Astra sat at the kitchen table and watched me as I started to make our breakfast. I had taken lots and lots of mental notes before Astra and I had started dating. It was a subconscious thing at the time, but now it was just second nature. I had learned that astra loved bacon and pancakes, along with the occasional hash brown or two. I liked all the same things, with the odd English muffin or bit of French toast thrown in. Also, I didn’t object at all to Astra’s amazing recipe for strawberry waffles. Somehow (Don’t bother asking me how) this goddess right here manages to bake the strawberries right into the waffle! How fucking magical is that?

I sat in nervous silence as Astra tasted her breakfast, which I had carefully put in front of her. I had also made a pot of coffee and poured Astra a cup, adding some vanilla creamer, which was her favorite.  
I heard Astra munching for a little while, then she took my hand across the table. “It’s delicious,” she said sincerely, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Sometimes, me making breakfast was a major disaster and it resulted in us having to go out to IHOP or something, though we were both not complaining. I was glad that this time it had turned out all right, though, especially with the magnitude of the plans I had for today.

“You like it?” I asked, hating that my voice sounded so desperate and weak and hopeful. It was obvious how much I was seeking Astra’s approval right now, but I didn’t really care that much. If I was like that with anyone, it would have to be Astra, hands down. She would never judge me, which is reason number one million, nine hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-nine that I loved her. She accepted all of me, which was a first outside of my family.

I heard the chair legs scratch against the floor as Astra stood up from her seat at the table, setting her spoon aside, I assume. She moved over to me and wrapped her arms around me in one of her warm Astra hugs. “Of course I do, dear one,” she said soothingly, putting my fears down to rest in a single instant. I love that Astra has that affect on me. She was so perfect. Lord, I couldn’t wait to marry her!

“Thanks,” I said softly, knowing she could plainly see the gratitude and deep affection and love I had for her. I got up and helped her clean up as we talked and laughed with each other as we always did. AS we did all of this, I couldn’t help but feel all the more assured in my decision to marry my partner. She was everything to me and I couldn’t imagine living a single moment of my life without her. It would be torture, like being deprived of water for a year. Okay, maybe you’re exaggerating, the little voice said in my head. Shut up, reasonable part of me that sounds exactly like Astra, ironically! I love my partner and I am not exaggerating about the way she makes me feel! Go away and leave me the fuck alone!

“What pissed you off today, Lexie?” I heard said partner’s voice in my ear beside me as I helped her dry off the dishes. Damn, she was good!  
When I recounted to her the goings-on in my mind, she couldn’t stop laughing for about five minutes. AS I heard her throaty laughter fill the room, I was certain, the voice finally silent. 

I called Kara first. I always call Kara when something is happening, and this was definitely something happening. I mean, for god’s sakes I was marrying her honest to God aunt! I am not religious, just very riled up. I picked up my iPhone and called, waiting for the line to connect and drumming my fingers on the table as I did so. Astra had gone out to buy some crap for someone or something. I had been too nervous to really pay attention to what she had said as she had left the house.

Kara’s cheery voice filtered through the line. “Alex?”  
I smiled, my lips trembling a little. “I’m gonna ask your aunt to marry me,” I blurted, partly because I was excited and partly because I was kind of scared of Kara’s reaction to this news.  
My sister was quiet for only a second. “Cat, I believe you owe me twenty bucks.”

My smile turned into a full-on grin. “Um, Kara, you bet on this?” It was just such a Kara thing to do, it didn’t really surprise me. Also, if Cat was involved, which it seemed she was judging by the sound of her voice saying “I knew Alex would do it!” In a triumphant tone on the other end of the line, then a bet was all but guaranteed. Cat was the investigative type.

“I called to tell you and I hope you’re okay with it,” I continued, feeling my nervousness bubbling up inside me more than ever.  
There was a smile evident in my sister’s voice. “Of course I’m okay with it,” she said honestly. I could tell without a doubt that her happiness and pleasure was genuine. She was honestly glad for us.  
“Please be careful with Aunt Astra, though,” she warned quickly.  
I nodded my head. “Of course, Kara. I love her with everything in me. I would never even think or dream of hurting her. She’s my universe.”

Kara made an “aw” sound on the other end of the call. “Okay, okay. Now go before I burst into tears with all the feels you’re giving me.”  
I could hear Cat’s murmured “You are so soft, Kira,” and my sister’s answer of “Oh shut up, Miss Grant. You know you love it.” Then, Cat’s admittance of “That’s a fair assumption.”  
I smiled to myself. I loved those two so much and I hoped that astra and I would still last as a loving couple after marriage, though I was almost absolutely certain that we would. We would make it work.

Finally, it was time for dinner. Yeah, yeah, I know, what a fucking cliche. Hey, stay the fuck out of my love life. Got it? Okay.  
I pulled an Astra and promptly proceeded to kick my loving partner whom I did not deserve out of the house, sending her on a wild goose chase for some basil.   
“But we have basil, Lexie,” she protested. I shook my head vehemently. “No, we’re out. I promise. Also, since you’re going out, can you pick me up some more of that lasagna?”

In reality, I had had Kara and Cat, my favorite lesbian couple (aside from us, of course( hide the items in question at their house. We weren’t going over to theirs for a little while anyway, and by the time I was done, Astra would already know and she would be able to take me to pick up the stuff. It was foolproof.

Astra kissed me warmly on the lips as she picked up her keys. “I love you, treasure,” she said sincerely, and I had to use all my willpower to stop myself from just saying fuck it and melting into her warm embrace. I had a mission, and if it was a success, then we had all the time in the world to linger on warm moments like this one. I just hoped and prayed it worked. I know I’m not religious! It’s a figure of speech! God, just shut up, voice!

I breathed a sigh of relief as the door clicked shut behind me and I heard the rev of the car engine outside. I pulled out my phone and quickly shot off a text to Kara: the bird is out of the nest.  
Kara’s response came fast: The new family has moved in.  
Kara and I proceeded to turn this house into a romantic fucking paradise. Sorry, I curse a lot in my internal monologue when I’m nervous.

“There!” My sister exclaimed with an exhalation of air. She and I plopped down onto the couch, exhausted by our day’s work. God, it was hard, grueling work putting something like this together! I knew, however, deep in myself, that it was all worth it.  
What if she says no? Oh my God, shut the fuck up, voice! 

I set aside all my doubts as we surveyed our work with the pride befitting it. The place was covered in rose petals that Kara said were red and a white linen tablecloth and wine and homemade lasagna. On top of that, there were Seas candy, the kind Astra liked and, our favorite, chocolate-covered strawberries. I had set my phone up to play “She Keeps Me Warm” by Mary Lambert, along with the instrumental version of “I’d Be Your Wife” by Mary Lambert. WE were all set.

After Kara left, I paced for a few minutes around our living room until I heard the key turn in the lock. It was Astra. No, Captain Obvious, really? I yelled at my inner critic to shut up again and opened the door, startling Astra a little.  
“Sorry, it sounded like you were struggling with the key a little there,” I explained.  
Astra wrapped her arms around me and kissed me on the top of the head. “No need for apologies,” she said softly, making my heart warm even more than it already had, if that was even remotely possible.

She walked further in, and I heard her gasp in wonder. “What the hell?” She asked, her voice hushed in the room. I clicked the button on our Bluetooth speaker, and the first piano chords of “She Keeps Me Warm” filled the room. “You have made my life worthwhile over the time we have known each other. You have made me see the positive side of life as a blind person. You have made me the happiest girl alive, and I would like you to keep on doing so. With that said, Astra Inze, will you marry me? Will you be my partner for life?”

The silence in this room was so thick that a freaking feather could have fluttered down and we both would have heard it. Then I was tackled by an overjoyed Astra, who kissed me like there was no tomorrow. I reached out and pushed the button on the speaker to skip tracks.

I knelt in front of Astra and began singing. I belted the chorus out with all the feeling in me. “I’d be your wife, I’d be your wife. It started with a feeling, then you had me dreaming, now you never leave my side. So can we give us a try, cause I’d be your wife.”

Astra almost lifted me clear off the ground with her next hug. We ended up on the floor together, wrapped around each other.  
“Of course I’ll marry you,” she said.  
I reached out and slipped the ring on her finger. Astra touched it lightly. “I love it, Lex. Thank you so much.”  
I grinned so wide my face was literally about to fall apart. “I’m glad you do.”

Astra’s tone turned mischievous. “Too bad I already had the same plan, right?”  
It took me as second to process her words. “Wait, what?” I asked.  
Astra took my hand and slipped something cool and metallic around my finger. After feeling it for a millisecond I realized it was a ring. It had two tiny diamonds side by side, set in a smooth, polished-feeling metal.  
“The diamonds represent us,” she explained quietly. How had she known that was my dream ring? The most likely answer was she had asked Kara for advice. It seemed that my sister got a lot of people going to her for advice.

My eyes watered. I reached out and almost fell into Astra’s warm, welcoming arms, my head going to her shoulder. I knew without needing to see it that I was giving my partner the sappiest look on this planet, maybe even in the universe.

“I love you, Astra,” I said truthfully. My favorite person in the world reached up and wiped the tears from my eyes. “I know you do, and you should know that I love you just as much. Truly, madly, deeply.”

I grinned like a freaking dork. “You did not just make a One Direction reference,” I said incredulously. Astra smiled. “I did.”

I couldn’t believe I was marrying this woman who was Aphrodite incarnate. I had absolutely nothing to complain about right now. We went to bed that night with thoughts of suits or maybe dresses and kisses at the altar, and maybe some kids or a dog or two. All I really knew for sure now was that I had finally found the one, and I was going to start my new life soon with Astra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you thought. :) Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)


	9. I Can't Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tiny glimpse into the wedding planning process for our favorite couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a tiny update. Sorry. I hope you enjoy. Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)

I have never been so busy in my entire life, not even when I was undergoing training to live life on my own after going blind or even when I was in the military. I have so much to do now. My lovely partner and I are going absolutely insane because of all the planning for our upcoming wedding. The food has to be all in order, the flowers have to be on point… God, it’s killing me. On the other hand, though, I love being able to plan the most important event of my life.  
One day, as I’m lying in bed next to Astra, it just hits me all at once all over again: This extraordinary woman is going to be my wife.

I think the hardest part of all this was planning who was going to wear what, or whether or not I could take Astra’s last name.  
“It’s so hard to pronounce,” she protested as we drove to the bakery to sample some cake mixtures. “I’d rather be Mrs. Danvers.”  
I shook my head stubbornly. “I love you, dearest, and I want to be yours. I want to be your partner and I want everyone to know I’m married to you.”

aStra pushed air out of her mouth in that way that I had come to learn meant she was angry. “Brave one, I love you and you are my partner. I want to have a last name people won’t butcher all the time. Also, you asked first, she pointed out reasonably.

I sat there and realized, not for the first time since meeting and falling head over heels for Astra that I was a complete idiot. Of course I had asked her first. That was true. So why did it bug me so much?  
I reached out and hugged my partner close, or as best as I could since she was still behind the wheel.

“You are insufferable,” she said, her smile counteracting the sting her words would have held otherwise.  
“Well, you are incorrigible,” I retorted, my face about to split open, as it was prone to do when I was with Astra. She made me feel alive in ways no one else had before, and I loved her immensely for it.  
We finally reached the bakery, simply named Maggie’s, according to my incorrigible partner. There was something else written on the sign in smaller, red and pink print: Serving all couples.

“Is that why you chose this place?” I asked Astra as I took her hand in mine. Astra squeezed my hand gently, the pressure around my palm and fingers reassuring and warm. “Yeah, it is. I didn’t want some bigot to judge me and my insufferable partner for what we decided to do. That includes getting married.”

We tasted so many cakes that day that, privately, I thought if I didn’t taste cake for the rest of my life, it would be too soon. They had everything, and I mean everything. There was even a raspberry and broccoli thing. Come on!  
We settled on red velvet, with little raspberries set into the frosting. I didn’t really care, though. I just wanted to marry Astra. That was it. Five, ten, fifteen years from now, I wouldn’t remember what we were wearing or what we ate. I would remember walking down the aisle toward my life partner. I couldn’t wait.


	10. She's My Partner For Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding. Please enjoy, folks. :) :) :) :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are! The long awaited wedding. Yes!!!! I really hope you enjoy this. Rest assured that this is most certainly not the end. There are still several chapters to go. Also, I am going to start a series of one-shots for this story, kind of like little snapshots of this verse and of their lives together. Please enjoy and comment down below. :)

I have been blind for quite some time now. I remember the first thing that really an truly went through my head, after all the panic over the fact I would not be able to see and drive and all of that, of course, was the thought that I had a ninety percent likelihood of being completely and utterly alone for the rest of my life on this Earth, at least that was my logic. I thought I would never find someone to love me and care for me and understand that I just needed a little more love and care and attention and maintenance than the ordinary girlfriend. There was so much that had changed now, but it was more than that. Going blind made me realize that even before my accident, I was a complex person to live with.   
All of that had been flipped on its head, though. I had met Astra and had fallen head over fucking heels for her. She was absolutely stunning and beautiful, but not because of her looks. That was the farthest thing from my mind. Astra was utterly breathtaking because she was real. She didn’t treat me like I was a fragile piece of glass or something. She treated me like a person, which is what really caught my eye. And now, after months and months of meticulous planning, agonizing over major and minor details, and worrying about countless what-ifs that just would not leave me alone, I was finally going to marry the love of my life. Was I nervous? Nah, not really. You know what? Yeah! I was nervous as hell. I couldn’t wait to marry her though.

“Oh my fucking God, would you hold still! Kara finally exclaimed, seemingly at the end of her patience as she slammed down the comb she had been using to tame my hair into something aesthetically pleasing.  
I nodded, a little intimidated. I had never really seen Kara this jittery and on edge before. She was all over the place, making sure I was all set for the big day ahead.

Finally, she seemed satisfied with my hair and appearance. Thank God, because her twiddling and fiddling had me all worried. I was afraid that I would screw something up, that something would go wrong… That voice in my head that sounded like Astra spoke up again.   
Stop freaking out. You’ve got this, Alex. You are going to walk down that aisle and you are going to do it right. Then, you’re going to marry the only person who has ever made you feel like they say love’s supposed to feel in the books. Got it? Okay.  
I had missed that voice. As I stood in front of the mirror, with Kara watching on quietly and definitely with a smile on her face, I fully realized what I had been preparing for for the past six months or so, maybe even my entire life. People always say that you’re not ready for something as major as a wedding until the very moment you’re walking down the aisle. I got it then, in that very moment. You never really do grasp it. I supposed I never truly would wrap my head around that fact, even as I wrapped my arms around my new wife that night.

Here we go, I thought nervously as I took Kara’s arm, letting her guide me as she had often guided me through life, especially after my accident and going blind and all of that fun stuff. With an inner smile, I couldn’t help thinking that soon it would be Astra’s job to guide me through life, both metaphorically and figuratively.

We made it to the altar without a hitch, a fact I was extremely grateful for. I was kind of afraid, at least deep down in the irrational part of me that I would trip over something, like the soft carpet or maybe even my own dress or my own feet and fall and humiliate myself. Oh yeah, I forgot to describe my outfit. For a moment, I forgot that most of my audience, the people who are reading this, are sighted and they care about what people wear or whatever. I used to, anyway. Part of me is glad I don’t really pay attention to that very much anymore. Sure, I do miss some of it sometimes, but whatever. I’m getting married, bitches.

But I digress. I was wearing a pale blue dress that hugged my body and made me feel like I was beautiful. I hadn’t felt like that in quite some time. The first time was when Astra had told me I was beautiful. The second time was as I stood at the altar, waiting for astra and feeling the silky softness of this dress I had bought from Walmart. I had my hair in a braided updo, thanks to the skills of my sister. My lips were done in elegant red, thanks to my mom. I knew how to apply makeup, but I asked my mom because I didn’t want to take any chances and fuck this up. Not when I was marrying Aphrodite incarnate.

I heard the slight click of heels behind me and I instinctively turned my head in the direction of the sound. I felt the hand I knew to be astra’s on my shoulder as she took her place beside me.  
My mom would be officiating the ceremony.  
“We are gathered here to witness the union of two souls meant for each other, the joining of two people who were destined to be together from the moment they were born. We are here to observe the amalgamation of two halves into one pure, amazing, perfect, seamless whole. We are gathered here together in this room to witness the marriage of Astra Inze and Alexandra Danvers. Today, they will start their lives together.”  
I could hear tears in my mom’s voice as she concluded her speech, and I distinctly heard several sniffles from Astra’s sister and Kara, along with Cat. Nice going, Mom.

“Now, does the couple have any vows?” I nodded, and I assume Astra did too because it was all quiet. I half-raised my hand, unsure of the protocol. For some unidentifiable reason, I felt like I should be extra quiet right now. There was this feeling of—I don’t know how to put it. Anticipation? Excitement? Exhilaration? Magic, even? I wasn’t very sure.

“I’ll go first.” My voice seemed loud in the hush in our garden where we were having this wedding. I hadn’t written anything down. I didn’t want it to be staged or anything, or for it to even seem that way. I wanted what I was going to say to my future partner to be real and from the very depths of my soul. After all, I had just one chance to do this right. I was not going to screw it up.

I turned so that I was fully facing the love of my life. “Astra, you make me the happiest woman alive. You make me feel warm and safe and contented and everything in between. When I first met you, you frustrated the living hell out of me. You wanted me to be more positive, more organized, happier. To old me, the blind girl who had depression and was in denial of everything and sort of willing to take handouts from her family, this was bad news. yOu were making me want to live again. I didn’t want to live. I wanted to curl up and jus not do anything anymore. But you came into my life with your impossible kindness and your determination that I could have at least somewhat of a normal life. You were stubborn and you kept telling me to look on the bright side. So I did. Now, flash forward a couple of years and a million memories later, and the new me is contented and likes being called Lexie by you and she does her own laundry. Voluntarily, might I add!”  
That got a laugh from the guests. I cleared my throat and continued.

“You make me push myself to this very day. Take this morning, for instance. I actually considered doing my own makeup. Then I realized it was just asking for trouble.”  
Another laugh. My heart soared as I went on.  
“The point of that little anecdote was to tell you that even pre-war me wouldn’t have considered really wearing makeup. You make me feel alive. That’s my real point. That’s what I’m trying to say with all of this rambling. Astra, you make me feel so frustrated and happy and elated and…Well, I could list off a whole dictionary full of SAT-level words, but I’m not going to. Instead, I’m gonna say this. Astra, you are my world. No, no, let me revise that. You are my universe. You are everything to me. I have been the luckiest woman in the world because I have gotten to be called your partner for the past two years or so. That’s not enough, though. I’m usually not greedy, but I can’t help myself this time. Astra, I want so much more. I want to keep waking up with you like this. I want to have kids and maybe a dog or two. Possibly even a cat. Astra, I want the greatest gift you can give me. I want your love for the rest of our existence. Astra, I want to be your partner for life. Say you’ll take me for as long as possible. I will love you and respect you and honor you for as long as I can, and even after I am dead, I will love you still. Astra, you are my everything, and that will never change. So this is what I promise you. I promise you I won’t leave you when things get hard, because that’s not how love works. I don’t get to walk away because things are rough. I love you. Thank you for being mine. I will do my best to care for you.”

I let my shoulders fall. I didn’t realize I was tense until I had finished my extremely long and rambling vow. Maybe I should have written some notes down after all.  
Instead, I was surprised to hear sniffling from Astra’s direction and then there was a rustle as my very soon-to-be wife moved up next to me.  
The moment she started to speak, I felt my heart begin to melt.

“You have made me feel so utterly cared for and frustrated and happy and everything in between. I know I grew up with a blind sister, but you showed me even more about living blind that I hadn’t known, something I thought was impossible after a life lived with someone who is blind. I love you more than life itself. I love when you get all flustered and when you still blush when I call you my Lex. But I want more, just like you. I want to take you as my partner for life, just as you want the same. I love you, Lexie Danvers. I would be honored to love you and cherish you and take care of you when you’re sick, even though you’re a huge whiner. I want to be able to lift you even higher in your most joyful of moments, and boost you up when you’re feeling down. I want to help you and care for you and explore you. I want to make you happy and give you all my love and attention. Alex, I would be honored to be your partner for life.”

The whole garden was full of applause now, cheering and clapping that might have blown the roof off and broken the glass of the windows if we were in a building. Even so, I thought I heard someone’s wineglass break. That was not the main focus for me, though. The main event was my beloved, who was now sniffling and silently sobbing. I heard her, though. I would always try to hear her when she needed me. I mean, come on. It’s my job as her Partner.

My mom cleared her throat quietly. So quietly, in fact, that I was probably the only one that heard her. Apparently I wasn’t the only one feeling spellbound.  
In any case, quiet descended on the gathered audience. “Now, here comes the legal part,” my mom joked, making the crowd laugh again. Wow, even she sounded a little choked up. My mom usually never really cried, so that was a major shock.

“Do you, Alexandra Elaine Danvers, take Astra to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, as long as the two of you shall live?”  
I lifted my head confidently. “I do,” I said, clearly and with absolutely no faltering or hesitation. I couldn’t wait to be with this amazing, extraordinary woman for the rest of my life.  
My mom continued, and there was a smile in her voice now. “And do you, Astra…” But before she could continue, aStra cut in, her voice sincere. “I do. I do, Eliza. I love your daughter, so yes, of course I do.”  
I even laughed at that. That was my partner!

My mom chuckled. “Then you may kiss the bride,” she said warmly. The kiss I shared with my new life partner was the most amazing thing in the entire universe. I couldn’t wait to share more of them with her.  
“Hi, Mrs. Danvers,” I said warmly and a little disbelievingly. I simply could not wrap my head around the fact that I was now married to this perfect woman.  
“Hi, Mrs. Danvers,” Astra answered, her tone a little playful. “Are you still in shock?  
Damn it, how was she so good at reading me. It just wasn’t fair! Who am I kidding? I loved it.  
“Yeah,” I answered honestly. There was no point lying to her. She knew me far too well. Besides, she was my wife now. Lying to her was most definitely not a good way to start our marriage.  
I could all but see the mischievous, wicked gleam that was most likely in Astra’s eyes when she spoke again. “Then why don’t I take you to our bed and show you just how very much I am your partner and how very real this is, dearest Alex?”

I felt my heart turn over in that familiar way as I nodded. I slipped my hand into my partner’s and let her lead me away into the start of our new lives together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what ou thought below. Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)


	11. The Morning After And An Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse into the morning after the big event and a little surprise. Please enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I really hope you enjoy this. :)

Life was wonderful. That was my first thought when I woke up the morning after I married the love of my life, Astra. I reveled for a moment in the glorious feel of waking up next to my wife. Sure, Astra and I had been sharing a bed for a while now, but it was different somehow, as cliche as it sounded. I was a little sore from our rated R activities, and I was warm all over because of the wonderful woman beside me. I swear, Astra really is like a little radiator. She keeps me warm in every way.

As if she sensed my thoughts were on her, I felt Astra shift next to me and wrap her arm possessively and protectively around my waist. “Good morning, brave one,” she said softly into my ear, making a shiver of pleasure run through me. I was completely certain that I would never get tired of that feeling or the sound of Astra’s voice in my ear. Then again, I would never get tired of Astra in general.  
“Good morning, dearest,” I answered, inwardly cursing at the harsh reality that my voice in the morning when I just woke up was not nearly as sexy or alluring as my wife’s. Oh my God, my wife’s! That was going to be a shock for quite a while yet.

Astra’s tone was amused when she spoke. “You look like a deer in the headlights,” she said teasingly. I smiled, understanding the expression. I decided to play a little coy, though.  
“Remind me, does that mean I’m horny? Or is it confusion or shock? I think I’ve forgotten.”

Astra ran her fingers tenderly through my hair. Her tone was playfully chiding, just like her words. “You know very well what it means, Alexandra. Don’t go fishing for attention.”  
Her tone turned soft, like she was going to say something emotional. “Not when you have all of it.”  
My heart swooped up into my throat at those words. In the logical part of me, I knew very well that I had most of, if not all, of Astra’s attention, but it was still a shock to really be made aware of that fact all over again. I couldn’t believe it, even though I had been her partner for about two years now, and now I was her wife. Whoa.

Astra prodded me gently but firmly in the side. “Let’s get up out of bed, dear one,” she said warmly. I buried my face in the pillow. “No,” I said, sounding very much like a five-year-old. “This pillow smells like you.”  
Astra laughed warmly, that beautiful sound that made my heart skip a million beats. “No, Lexie,” she said gently. “I have work.”  
Astra had become a teacher’s assistant at the local high school while she studied for her real career, which she refused to tell me about. She said she wanted to surprise me. I didn’t really care. I loved this woman more than life itself, and I would support her even if she wanted to be a stripper or a drug dealer. No wait, never mind. I don’t really think I would be okay with that last one. Then again, I’m not really sure. I had been surprised by the things I would do for Astra. Who knew what else I was willing to do for her? Maybe my dad had been right when I had come out to him, just a couple years before he died. Women will be the death of you, Alex.

I smiled at the memory, albeit a little sadly. I missed my dad, but I was glad I was at a point in my life where I could think about him and not cry over him.  
“Whatcha thinking about?” Astra’s warm, soothing voice brought me out of my spiraling thoughts. I love how observant she was, how tuned to me she was. She knew me in every way, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“My dad. He died in the war. He was the reason I even wanted to be in the military.”  
Astra smiled knowingly. “I’m sure he’s proud of you, my Lex,” she said, her words and tone sincere. I could never truly wrap my head around how utterly genuine this amazing goddess was. She was nothing like the people I had dated. She was warm and kind and she considered me in everything we did. She was thoughtful and wonderful and…  
“I hope you aren’t still thinking about your dad. You have this sort of worshipful look on your face, and that’s kind of weird when you’re thinking about your dad,” she teased lightly, making my heart do the ballet for the millionth time and making a laugh bubble out of me without my control. I had never been this giggly with anyone but Astra. As Weird as it sounded, I was really and truly excited to keep exploring that giddy, schoolgirlish feeling. I was excited to see just what else astra could do to me. I would go absolutely anywhere with this amazing, extraordinary woman. 

I felt my opinion of her extraordinariness shatter when she pushed me off the bed. I hit the floor with a loud thud, knocking all the air right out of me like a little kid’s soccer ball at the end of summer.  
“What was that for?” I asked, incredulity clear in my voice and probably on my face.  
I could almost see the grin on Astra’s face when she answered. “I knew you weren’t getting out of bed without some help or Devine intervention, Mrs. Danvers,” she said, her smile very much evident and apparent in her voice.  
“What, you think you’re the Devine intervention I needed?” I teased back. Astra reached down and gently helped me up, kissing me tenderly on the lips. That made everything better somehow. I swear, the world could have ended, and a kiss from this perfect partner of mine would make me feel a million times better, even as the ashes of our people rained down around us.

“Let’s go get breakfast, dear one. You’re helping me.”  
Her tone was firm, and I was not going to argue with her. I loved cooking with Astra, as odd as it might sound. There’s just something about cooking in general, then add Astra, and it’s a million times better. I enjoyed the feeling of operating in sync with her: reaching over for the same thing at the same time and laughing about it, handing each other something and sharing a war moment together—you get the picture. You guys are gay, right? You know what I’m talking about.

In a matter of about ten minutes or so, we had breakfast on the table and we were talking nonstop to each other as we shoveled food into our mouths. Today it was pancakes with strawberries on top and whipped cream as a little something extra. I think one of my favorite things about married life, if not my favorite thing, is the fact that almost nothing had changed between Astra and I. She was still as wonderful an hilarious as ever. We still had our inside jokes and we still had great chemistry. I really appreciated that.   
“Did you hear that Cat and Kara are engaged?” Astra asked completely out of nowhere, catching me completely off guard. “Wait, what?” I asked, my mouth slightly open. I could not believe it. Kara usually told me stuff that was of that much importance.  
Astra took my hand over the table. “She told me last night, Lex,” she explained gently.  
“She said she didn’t tell you because she felt like she would be upstaging you at your own main event. She didn’t want to do that. She was happy you and I were getting married and she didn’t want to steal your thunder.”

Astra’s explanation made a lot of sense. Then again everything seemed to make sense with Astra. Ah, I got it now. Kara wanted Astra to tell me because she knew I would understand if it came from Astra. Damn, she knew me better than I thought.

I stood up from the table, went over to my phone on our nightstand and I called my sister, which is what I should have done in the first place, I realized.  
“Hello?” Kara sounded a little breathless. “Hi, Kara,” I said into the phone. “Look, I’m really happy for you and Cat. Just tell her if she hurts you, I rip her throat out with my own teeth like that one scene from Game of Thrones with the dire wolf.”  
I heard rustling on Kara’s end of the line. “Damn, Alex. Okay. Jeez, remind me to never piss you off.” Her tone was familiarly teasing, and I realized I had missed it.  
“Well, congrats to you and Aunt Astra.” Her words were genuine. Then, of course, she said something very Kara-like. “Hey, do I have to call you Aunt Alex now?”

If I could have smacked her I would have. “What were you doing when I called you?” I asked, intrigued. Kara was quiet for a moment.”We were playing a game,” she lied. I realized what they had been doing and my face warmed to a burning fire. “OH, got it. That’s what you’ll tell your future kids if they ask.”  
I smiled. I knew for a fact that those two would be great moms, and I knew they wanted kids of their own someday.

We talked for a little while before Kara said she had to go “play another round” with Cat. I smiled and let her go, walking over to aStra and sitting in my spot beside her. As we spent the rest of the day watching crappy TV and talking and reading, I couldn’t help but let the grin on my face stay there. By the end of the day, my face was hurting like I had just gotten a million shots of that crap they give you at the dentist’s. God, I hate the dentist. Not her, personally, just what she does in there.  
Anyway, as I climbed in next to Astra and we avoided sleep in various ways, I couldn’t help but smile my head off. I loved this perfect woman and I was glad to be hers forever. There was absolutely nothing I would change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you thought in the comments below. Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)


	12. A Surprise For The Ages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prepare to have your socks knocked off your feet and clear across the room. Major, major event happens in this chapter. Do not skip. I repeat, do not skip. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my God, so many hits and kudos. at the time of this posting, we have 89 comments, 1216 hits, and 62 kudos, as well as 3 bookmarks. Whoa. Thank you so much. Please keep enjoying this story and tell your friends who are General Danvers shippers or who just like unapologetically fluffy love stories. Please tell me what you think down below. Here we go!

The next few months passed in a blur. Everything was pure chaos as we settled in with our new lives. We were planning Kara’s wedding, and Astra was running her bookstore while she went to school for her career, which she still would not tell me about. Also, I had started my new job at Apple, working with their accessibility department. I loved technology, and I wanted to help other blind and disabled people get to use computers and phones just like their sighted friends and coworkers.

“What do you think of this material for the dress?” Kara asked as she handed me a piece of fabric. We were at her house at the moment, sitting on the couch and trying to figure out what kind of fabric to use, since my sister had decided to have her dress custom made.  
I ran the extremely soft cloth through my fingers. It was smooth and velvety and luxurious and silky, all of which was awesome. “What color is it?” I asked, turning my head to Kara.  
My sister seemed a little hesitant when she answered. “Red, and the dress I want to have made doesn’t have a train like The traditional ones.”

I nodded, understanding. If there was one thing that Kara and I had in common, it was the fact that we were kind of unorthodox. I mean, come on. I got married in a blue gown that I bought from freaking Walmart for like $20.  
“I think you should go with it,” I said truthfully, handing the piece of fabric back to Kara. She took it and moved the notepad toward her to take down what type of textile it was, so that she and Cat could go look for it later.

The front door opened just then and Astra walked in, taking a seat next to me.  
“Hey, what did I miss?” She asked. Kara got up and hugged her tight. “Aunt Astra, I’m freaking out,” she lamented, making my partner chuckle quietly.

“Kara, let it be known and noted on record that you are certainly not the first or the last woman to be freaking out before her wedding. This one right here was absolutely terrified the night before our wedding.”  
“Hey!” I protested, but my objections were not taken seriously, since there was a giant smile on my face.   
“My point is that it’s okay and perfectly normal to be scared, Kara.” Astra sounded warm and understanding.

Kara was quiet for a moment. “I love her, Aunt astra,” she said, and she sounded vulnerable now, and neither of us doubted the fact that she was certain and completely serious. She loved Cat with all of herself, just as Cat loved her. It was obvious, even to a blind person. I mean, come on. I would definitely know.

We sat down and talked for a long while. Finally, Astra and I got up to go. “Thanks for your help, guys,” Kara said sincerely. I reached out and hugged her tightly. “Sure, no problem. We’ll always be here for you, sis.”

Astra and I got into our car. “I’m so proud of you, Lexie. You took the bus here all by yourself. That’s huge!” Astra was gushing with pride and excitement. I felt my heart soar. We had gone over bus travel and all of that in mobility training and Astra and I had practiced together for a while. then, Astra had said she had to go to the doctor’s, and I said I would go see Kara. It just happened.   
“Thanks, Astra,” I answered, reaching out and taking her free hand over the dash. “How was your doctor’s appointment?”

AStra squeezed my hand. “It was just an ordinary checkup,” she said, though her tone was off, somehow. It seemed almost like she was lying to me. Why would she, though? Unless, she was cheating on me. But why? Suddenly, my mind was in overdrive. I couldn’t help but think the worst.

Over the next few weeks, I tried to keep from going down that irrational rabbit hole of thoughts. I didn’t want to assume that astra was cheating on me. She had absolutely no reason to, after all. Besides, we were doing great. We still talked and had fun, and of course we still made sweet, sweet love all night long. Just kidding, we had to go to bed early since we had jobs now. But we did try our best to find time to enjoy each other.

Looking back on it now, I berate myself for being a complete moron and not realizing it. Astra seemed more tired, and my brain chocked that up to her being occupied by someone else. Somehow, that was what my brain thought of as the logical reason for my wife’s newfound lack of energy. Just goes to show how utterly irrational and crazy the human thought pattern can be in these types of cases, huh?   
Finally, I snapped. We were playing Scrabble. “It’s your turn, Lex,” Astra said when I had been quiet too long.  
She reached out and took my hand. “Are you okay, brave one? You seem really preoccupied.”  
“You’re preoccupied,” I almost yelled, surprising both myself and Astra. My partner took me in her arms.

“Okay, you never yell. Do you want to talk about it, treasure?”  
I couldn’t help it. Before I knew what was happening, all my worries that had been manifesting inside me were tumbling out of me in a flood of words and sounds and tears. My beloved, wonderful, patient partner held me close and listened without judgment. Finally, she laughed. She actually laughed.  
I felt myself glaring. “What the fuck, Astra?” I shouted, angry now.

My beloved partner really did have the patience of a saint, because she didn’t get mad at me for yelling at her. Instead, she pretty much lifted me off the floor. I wrapped myself around her, seeking comfort in her warmth. She reached up and ran her hand over my head in that warm, familiar way that spoke of safety and home to me.   
“Dearest, I’m not cheating on you with anyone.”  
I was so insecure. “Not even True from work?” Astra had hired another young woman to work the register with her. Lots of people said she was pretty.  
“Definitely not True from work.” Her tone was firm and reassuring, her words unwaveringly honest. “Why would I want someone named True when I have someone named Alex?” She asked, incredulity clear in her voice.

I gave a watery laugh. “Thank you, dear one,” I said softly, my face still pressed into Astra’s warm and patient neck. She turned her head so she could speak directly into my ear. The words she uttered were so shocking, I literally, honest to God fainted. “I’m not cheating, Lexie. I’m pregnant.”


	13. Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just an explanation. Sorry it's really short. The next chapter will be up very soon.

My mind was reeling, my heart was racing, and my hands were shaking. “Wait, what?” Was the first thing that came out of my mouth when I finally came to.  
Astra was holding me in her lap and running her fingers through my hair. I couldn’t believe it. I was sitting here with my wife, who was pregnant with our child.  
“It is ours, right?” I asked. Just making sure.  
Astra held me closer. “Of course, dear one. I have eyes for no one but you,” she said, and I had heard nothing Truer in all of my years on this Earth.

We spent time talking. We talked about what we wanted to do. We decided we would find out the gender of the baby when we could, and Astra told me she had never been a teacher’s assistant. She had just had the bookstore, and she was keeping her future career a secret. The only thing she told me was that I would really like her new job.  
Also, we decided we were going to move to a new house when the baby was born. We couldn’t live in this apartment with a baby. It would be to hard and cramped and all that.

Astra and I couldn’t wait for our baby to be born. It turned out that my wife had gone kinda behind my back to surprise me. She had gotten a sperm donor and she had done her best to make it all work out. If everything went as planned, we would have a son or daughter running around very soon. We hoped and even though I’m not really religious or anything, I prayed. I prayed and prayed and prayed like there was no tomorrow. I hoped and prayed, along with Astra, that our family would be complete very soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed. Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)


	14. A Little Update on Our Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little glimpse into our favorite couple's lives. Also, some news is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm back. Firstly, thank you for all the hits, comments, kudos and bookmarks. :) Sorry it's so short, but I just got back my motivation. I was feeling really crappy and I am glad I am able to update this story. I really hope you enjoy it. Next chapter will be the birth. Also, two million points to anyone who gets the references hidden in this chapter. I really hope you enjoy it. The next update will be definitely soon. Maybe even today? *Winks playfully* Okay, I'm gonna shut up now. Here we go!

We were six months into the pregnancy and I had learned the hard way that being the partner of a very pregnant and cranky Astra was not pleasant in the least. Not only was she cranky and irritable, but she had the strangest cravings ever. Like this one time, she asked me to make her omelets with strawberries on top. Another time, she asked me to drive out like twenty miles to the place where they sold pistachio coconut buttermilk ice cream. I didn’t even know that existed. When I tried to gently remind my usually very rational wife that I was, in fact, blind and therefore I could not drive, she proceeded to yell at me about how I was not being a very supportive partner for the next hour or so. I just asked Kara to drive me after that.

Other stuff was happening too. On top of all the pregnancy stuff, I was helping Kara plan her wedding. She was absolutely ecstatic, over the moon, whatever you wanted to call it. She couldn’t wait to be married. I assured her jokingly that it wasn’t as much fun as everyone made it out to be. “Your new wife will inevitably hog all the blankets at night and finish all of your favorite ice cream,” I told her. She was quiet for a while. “Bullshit,” she answered, making me laugh. Thanks to Cat, my sister was opening up and becoming more of a real person, not the vision my mom had had for her, which I was really enjoying, just for the record.

We went to Cat and Kara’s wedding, which was just on the right side of perfect. It was a cross between traditional huge wedding and cozy family affair. It was awesome.  
We talked baby names and decided on Piper Elizabeth for a girl, and Larry James for a boy. We could not wait to be parents.

We went to the doctor and found out we would be having two twin girls. Our hearts almost exploded. Astra looked at me.  
“What should the second girl’s name be?” She asked, her voice just on that edge of breaking that meant she was overjoyed and emotional. “How about Dayanara, after our doctor?” I asked. Doctor Dayanara Diaz, our ob-gyn, had been absolutely amazing. She treated us like friends, not patients, all clinical and detached. She made us feel good, and she was very good at her job. When she heard that there was really no father, she turned to aStra and promptly said, “Well, good luck, Papa Astra.” I could not stop laughing. I could not wait for my family to be complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hoped you enjoyed it. I debated making the names ad genders a surprise, but I just couldn't do it. I really hope you liked it. Leave comments and kudos please. Also, again, whoa! so many hits and kudos and comments. Please keep 'em coming. :) Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)


	15. The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised, the birth. Please enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you enjoy this extra long update. The last chapter of this work will be up soon. Thanks for sticking with me. I really hope you have enjoyed it so far.

The day our lives changed irreversibly and so wonderfully was so ordinary I would not have remembered it, were it not for the aforementioned change. My wife and I sat on our couch and talked and laughed as usual after having breakfast and cleaning up and all of that boring crap. We were Currently watching Netflix and discussing the show. We were both in love with this show.

I got up off the couch to grab more popcorn. “There’s some more in the cabinet on the left, Lex,” Astra instructed me from the living room. I quickly found the cabinet she was talking about and grabbed two butter popcorn bags. We were huge popcorn people, needless to say. I reached up and got a large bowl too. God, we weren’t savages, after all.

I was pouring the popcorn into the bowl when I heard the unmistakable, heart-clenching sound of my partner in pain. She screamed clearly, tearing my heart into pieces. Finally, the panic crept into her voice, just as it flooded me.  
“Lex! Alex, where are you!” Astra shouted. I dropped the open bag in my hand, spilling popcorn kernels all over the floor and not giving a fucking shit about it.

I ran into the living room, almost tripping over myself in the process, that’s how scared and panicked and anxious I was. Astra, the love of my life, the strongest person I knew, was whimpering in pain now. I did not let myself fall into a paralysis of fear like I wanted to. Instead, I went on full autopilot. I gently took my wife’s arm and guided her into a sitting position. “Where’s the bag?” I asked, referring to the suitcase we had packed a month ago, just to be ready. God knows I don’t want to be one of those unprepared parents. Okay, whatever, I’m not religious. I see you judging me!

I pushed the stupid voice out of my head and listened fully to Astra. She told me it was in our bedroom closet on the floor. I ran faster than I thought possible and grabbed it. I snatched up my phone and called Kara.

My sister was breathless and extremely flustered when she answered the call. “Alex? Wha?”  
I felt all of the emotions that were currently pulsing through me finally come to a boil inside me. “Kara, stop fucking Cat and get the fucking fuck over here!”  
Kara was shocked into silence. Sure, I cursed, but not that much and not without reason. This meant there was a reason.

My sister’s voice was carefully controlled and calm when she spoke again. “Aunt Astra’s in labor.” It was more of a statement than anything else. It was a statement and not a question because Kara was absolutely sure, and rightly so, that nothing short of that could wind me up to that point.

“Yeah. She’s in labor and I’m fucking terrified,” I confided, my voice on that edge of breaking that meant I was extremely vulnerable and scared shitless.  
Kara seemed to sense that, bless her eternally caring, perceptive, and compassionate self. “I’ll be there to pick you guys up in twenty to head to the hospital.”  
Sure enough, I could hear the sounds of rattling as Kara got her car keys, and then rustling as she presumably put on shoes and clothes and all that.

About twenty minutes later, Astra and I were in the back seat of Kara and Cat’s truck, speeding towards the hospital.  
The next few hours went by in a blur of unfamiliar and familiar voices, sounds and smells. There was a crap ton of shouting and moving around and talking and whirring as we quickly moved through the process of getting my wife and unborn daughters settled and ready to go. A really nice nurse let me know when there was a lull in all the commotion that my mom had come to visit. She, along with Cat, Kara, Ally, and our neighbor were in the waiting room. I had absolutely no clue what the flying fuck our neighbor was doing here, but whatever. I was too tired and wired to really do anything about it. Also, I was too excited to leave all of this right now.

The familiar voice of our doctor moved me back toward normalcy, calm, whatever you wanted to call it. “So, you and Astra are going to be parents. Are you excited?” Doctor Diaz asked as she ran her check on my wife.

I nodded, too freaked out and excited and emotional to give a truly coherent response at the moment.  
“We have about two hours left until blastoff,” she said lightly, making us both smile.  
“I can’t wait for them to move out,” Astra said as she shifted in the hospital bed.

The doctor chuckled quietly. “You won’t be saying that when they’re eighteen and rebellious as hell,” she retorted, making aStra laugh out loud, then hiss in pain. “Fuck, that hurt,” she exclaimed, making me grab her hand instinctively. I hated it when my beloved astra was even sick, let alone in any sort of pain. It just tore me apart inside.

“Don’t feel sorry for her, Alex,” our doctor said good-naturedly as she shuffled around with something. I heard papers rustling as she continued. “You’re gonna be next.” I didn’t realize what she meant until later.

She turned her attention to my partner. “How about we pump you full of those drugs so you don’t feel a thing, eh?” She asked, smiling according to her voice. Astra was quiet, which presumably meant she had nodded, because Doctor Diaz quickly left and returned with a needle and a clipboard. After explaining the epidural to us and having Astra sign the paperwork, she injected the drugs that would grant some relief of pain into my wife. Astra was quiet through it all, and when the medicine kicked in, we played cards until the nurse came in.

“Okay, Astra. Doctor Diaz will be here very shortly to help you deliver.” Her smile was large and wide, if her voice was anything to go by, which it usually was with most people.

We thought shortly would be a really long time, since doctors can sometimes take forever, but to our surprise and relief, our doctor was back in ten minutes or so.  
“Okay, new mamas. Here we go.”

Astra took my hand as I took my place by the bed. With the first push, it seemed like the drugs were not really working, because aStra let out the most guttural scream I had ever heard from any human being in all my life.  
“Damn it, Alex. Fucking hell. Why did I do this with you?” She screamed as she crushed the life out of my hand.  
I must have looked confused, because the nurse, whose name was apparently Jasmine, patted my shoulder sympathetically. “It’s okay, hon. She don’t mean it, I promise. You best be grateful you don’t got a dick. Else she’d be even more pissed off at you.”  
I shuddered, picturing my usually extremely loving, rational and understanding partner threatening to cut off my dick if I had one.

After lots of screaming an cursing on Astra’s part (and the silent version of that on my part), I heard two shrill cries. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. That was the only thought going through my head on loop, like some surreal Vine. Oh Lord, why was I thinking of Vines? Why the hell did I use those absurd, ridiculous things as a base for an analogy of my shock and excitement? Oh, whatever, I dismissed this train of thought silently.

Back to my explanation of the emotions that were flooding through me at the moment. I felt overjoyed and happy and elated and numb and a little scared and a whole lot of unidentifiable feelings besides the ones I had just mentioned. I could not believe it. Even though it was laid out right before my face, even though what we had talked and talked about for close to a year was finally here, I could not wrap my head around it. I could not truly grasp the actuality or the reality or whatever that I was a mom now. I was partially responsible for raising a child. No, make that two children. Lord, was my work cut out for me.  
When the dust settled, I promptly broke hospital protocol without a thought to the consequences. I laid down behind my partner and stroked the heads of our new little girls.

“Piper’s the one on the left. Dayanara is the one on the right.”  
Astra’s voice sounded tired but ecstatic. I could feel it radiating off her. 

My voice was awed and quiet and hoarse when I answered, directing my words to the little ones lying against aStra. “Hi, girls. I’m your Mama Alex,” I said, my heart pounding. I reached out and gently lifted one of the warm bodies into my arms. It was Piper, and it was very much apparent, even to a totally blind girl, that Piper was going to be Mama Alex’s girl. She wriggled against me, her little hand already coming up to explore my face. I smiled as her impossibly tiny fingers probed the openings that were my nose and mouth, then promptly did my best to hide a wince as she experimentally, but still very noticeably poked my eye.

“Oh God, your nails are sharp, Piper,” I said, laughing. I had never understood the mothers that let their kids climb all over them or pull on their hair or do all manner of other things that had seemed utterly torturous to a childless Alex. But now that I was Mama Alex, I got it. It was about just loving your kid, plain and pure and simple. Yes, it really was that simple. It was about letting your kid know that you cared. I vowed, right then and there in that hospital room that I would show Piper and Dayanara that I cared about them more than anything. I would be the best mother I could be.

It seemed Piper had had enough of my face, because she turned her face and promptly buried it in my armpit. I struggled to keep my laughter in, but the hilarity of the situation won out over my willpower in the end.  
“You’re crazy!” I choked out, feeling the tears that only laughter can really bring fill my eyes.

As I watched the love of my life feed our daughters later, I felt excited and ready. I was ready to start my new life with my family. We were all finally here and everything was finally complete. Everything was as it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really, has no one guessed the show? Go ahead, sound off in the comments. Stay tuned for the next and final chapter. :) Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)


	16. Blindsided

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the end. Told from the point of view of someone new. Please read the author's note at the beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are at last! Chapter 16, the finale to the epic I have been writing for the past few months. This epilogue takes place five years after the main story. I really hope you enjoy this. I am also considering writing an Orange Is The New Black work. Tell me if you would be interested in that. all right, please enjoy this last chapter. Also, keep in mind that there will be more work in this verse. I am not done with these characters just yet. Leave your comments and kudos and bookmarks and subscriptions at the bottom. Thank you for giving me so many hits and kudos and comments. Okay, here we go! :)

I was so excited! Today was the day. Finally, finally, finally, I was going to be five whole years old today. It was my birthday. Mama Lexie had told me as she tucked me in earlier that it was like magic. “You and your sister are going to be five today. That means it’s gonna be five years since you were born.”  
That was how she explained it, and now I was so so excited that I was having a hard time going to sleep even though I was really tired and Mama Lex and Mama Astra already read us our bedtime stories. Two whole stories this time cause it was gonna be our birthday.

Okay, our mamas always tell us to introduce ourselves to strangers, so that’s what I’m gonna do right now. Sorry I didn’t do it before. I’m Piper Elizabeth Danvers. I have the bestest family ever. There’s my Mama Astra, my Mama Alex, and my sister Dayanara, but we all just call her Daya. Then, there’s our cousins, who are Auntie Cat and Auntie Kara’s kids. There names are Gloria, Jessie, and Cedric. Cedric is a boy, and he’s the only boy in our whole entire family, unless you count our new grandpa. Nanna married him when me and Daya were four and he brings lots and lots of presents. He has a really scratchy beard, though, so there’s that.

I love everyone, but I love Mama Lexie the most. I am not ashamed to say that. She and I have a real close connection cause we spend lots of time together. Also, whoever decided which one of us was more like Mama Lex or Mama Astra gave me more of Mama Alex. We like a lot of the same things. Mama Alex calls me Fighter Piper, but when she’s pretending to be mean, she calls me pipe cleaner. That makes me laugh so hard I have to go use the bathroom.

I rolled over in my bed the next morning. I was usually really sleepy still in the morning, but today was different because it was extra special. I jumped real quick out of my bed, like the Flash and zoomed over to my sister’s bed, jumping up and down on it to wake her up.

“Daya, Daya, Daya! Wake up!!!!!!” I yelled really super loud into her ear, so she couldn’t ignore me like she does sometimes.  
She rolled over and pulled me down next to her, hugging me. “Don’t yell in my ear, Pipe Cleaner,” she said in that tone that our mamas use when we’re being bad. Okay, so maybe the pipe cleaner thing wasn’t just my mama Lexie.

I love my sister, but she and I are almost completely different, even though we’re twinges and we are supposed to be the same or something like that. Data is really quiet and she loves doing coloring and arts and crafts and knitting. Mama Astra already showed her some knitting things and she really likes it. I’m more like Mama Alex. I like to play outside and be loud and every grown-up says I’m very “outgoing and charismatic for my age.” I don’t know really what those things mean, but I like the sound of them. My friend Nicki says I’m really glamorous. I don’t care about all that, though. My family wants me to be good, and that’s what I want too. I do my very best.

Dayanara and I went downstairs to breakfast. When we were born, Mama Alex and Mama Astra moved to a really big house. It has a pool and a bubbly hot pool that is just for Mama Astra and Mama Lexie. Plus, we all have our own bathrooms, even me and Daya. That’s really nice.  
Let me tell you more about my parents and what they are doing since they last wrote here in our family journal. Mama Astra finally told “her beloved partner” what job she picked. She went to school for a really really long time and she became a teacher of the blind. That’s because Mama Lexie is completely blind. Oh, wait, you already know that. Well, now Mama aStra teaches people of all ages about Braille and living skills, which means cleaning and learning how to use a computer and stuff like that. I like Mama Astra’s work. Her friends at her office are really nice, especially Miss Diana. She always calls me “pretty Piper” and brings snacks. She also calls my sister “Dayanara the Dreamer.” That’s cause Daya has a new idea for something every week. That’s what it feels like, anyway. That’s one of my favorite things about her. She always has something going on, even though she’s really quiet. 

We finally made it downstairs and walked into the kitchen. Mama Alex stood up and hugged us really tight. “Happy birthday, girls!” She said, sounding and looking really happy. I learned about tone and vocal nuance from Mama Lex cause that’s how she knows about how people are feeling since she can’t look at us. 

I remember a year ago when Daya played a trick on Mama Alex. She tried to hide from her because she wanted us to take a bath. My sister stayed really quiet and still and played dead. When Mama Alex found her though, she was in a lot of trouble.   
Anyway, we all sat down to birthday breakfast, which was one of our many traditions. The birthday girl or woman, as the case may be, got to wear a crown on their heads and eat a really special breakfast. Then, the family came over and the person got cake and presents and family time. Family time was the best thing in the whole wide world because it was when everyone was together and we all played games and talked and just had lots an lots of fun.

Today the breakfast was extra special. Mama Astra said she and Mama Alex used a new ingredient. “What is it?” Me and Dayanara asked together, almost flying out of our chairs with all the excitement of it.  
Mama Alex smiled really big at our other mama. “Love,” they said back together, laughing at the end. We couldn’t stop laughing for a whole hour after that. Wait, Mama Astra says we’re exasperating. That’s when you take something and kind of lie and say it’s more than it really is. It’s like when this one time I hurt my elbow and I told Daya I was dying. Then Daya told our parents and they said I was okay.  
“See, you’re just fine, Pipes,” Mama Lexie said in her soft gentle mama way as she kissed the spot all better. Then she cleaned it and put on a SpongeBob Band-Aid.

SpongeBob was kind of a weird thing in our house. Mama Astra hated him, but Mama Lex, Dayanara, and I loved him to bits and pieces. Me and Daya even had this giant bean bag chair thingy that was shaped like him. It was even yellow all over just like him.  
Mama Astra didn’t like SpongeBob because she said he wasn’t “intellectually stimulating” and Mama Lex kissed her full on the mouth, making her stop talking. That was really rude but also really brave of Mama Lex. Maybe that was why Mama Astra called her brave one all the time? Anyway, my Mama Lex told our other mama that it was okay and that kids weren’t supposed to watch “intellectually stimulating material” until they were at least in high school. “I mean, come on. I turned out fine, right, dearest?” She finished. They were always like that with each other.

Oh, wow, I got really off track. I was telling you about my birthday. Well, mine and Daya’s. We got lots of gifts and stuff, mostly clothes. We ate a whole entire cake between us kids. We slept really heavy that night. I had lots of fun tonight, I told Mama Lex as she tucked me in. Mama Astra was busy with Dayanara, and I was happy to get some extra Mama Lex time.  
“I’m glad you had fun, Fighter Piper,” she said, moving my hair out of my face. “I love you so much. Do you remember how much?” She asked. I thought and thought and then I remembered the answer. “All the way to the moon and back!” I said, really excited.

My mama Alex laughed and nodded her head yes. “That’s right. You and Mama Astra and Dayanara and our whole family mean the whole wide universe to me.”  
I looked at her with surprise all over my face. The whole wide universe??? That was really big!!!  
“Do you know how big the universe is, Mama Alex?” I asked, all curious now. Mama Lex moved her head no. “No one knows that, Piper,” she explained. I fell asleep that night with dreams of fluffy clouds and universes so big they held a bajillion possibilities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, hope you enjoyed it. :) Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, whew! Please tell me what you thought. :) Keep on living and keep on smiling. :)


End file.
